Helen Brandstorp is the Director of the Norwegian Centre for Rural Medicine.  Her work helps to create and share knowledge about rural and remote health services, which provides support for local/regional and national authorities, politicians and educators.

Helen believes that her work in rural medicine is of great importance for people living on the outskirts of urban centres, and ultimately even for the people in the larger centres since diversity is a prerequisite of development.

Helen is inspired to create and share knowledge within a participatory tradition for remote and rural healthcare. Her aim is to develop services with people – on all levels.  Values and traditions are often different between communities and definitely between countries, but learning from each other can be a valuable asset.   Recognizing the challenges and providing some solutions in both small and large organizations is ultimately the goal.

Helen is a specialist in general practice, has a PhD and is currently specializing in public health, and is an awarded physician with an increasingly known voice.

Helen started her studies in medicine at the university in Bergen in 1989, and her path has included periods as a student at universities and institutions in Germany, England, France, Burkina Faso, and Canada.