LONG-time Warwick doctors Aleta and Bryan Slattery were honoured for their services to rural medicine at an awards ceremony last week.

When the couple arrived in Warwick in 1989, Aleta thought they would only be in town for two years but they have stuck around for more than 26 years.

"Warwick's been a great community to serve," Bryan said.

"There is a good diversity of people and we've enjoyed working here not just because of the medicine but the lifestyle," he said.

Both from Brisbane, the couple met while studying at The University of Queensland.

When they moved to the Rose City, Bryan worked as the medical superintendent at Warwick Hospital while Aleta was working at a practice on Guy St, one of several practices in the town at the time.

Bryan then joined Aleta at Guy St before they both moved to Condamine Medical Centre when the practice opened.

"The town had lots of older GPs then," Aleta said.

"It took a while but, bit by bit, we gathered other doctors in the practice and we have a stable group of 19 doctors here now."

Aleta said the continuity of patient care in rural medicine was one of the reasons practising medicine in the town was so enjoyable.

"In the city you don't have the same GP for years but we have had some people from the start and look after generations of families," she said.

"Rural medicine is old fashioned and you get to know people very well. It's a privilege that makes it worthwhile," Bryan said.

"There's more variety in country medicine and we try to manage more conditions on our own, though we do have some specialists who have been very supportive."

The pair attended the Rural Doctors' Association of Queensland conference in Cairns where they were presented with awards for long-standing and valued commitment to the delivery of medical services in rural Queensland by association president Dr Tarun sen Gupta.

Aleta said the awards came as a surprise and the conference was a great opportunity to learn and converse with their colleagues.

"We were surprised to get it but it's nice to be recognised," Aleta said.

"We were very honoured by the award, there are lot of doctors who have done the same as us."