The University of Notre Dame officially opened the Wagga Rural Clinical School yesterday, which will allow more students to experience rural practice before graduating.

The school was first established in 2011 on the grounds of Calvary Health Care Riverina but a $3.8 million grant from the federal government saw development of new facilities begin in 2012.

The funding, part of the government's strategy to train doctors in rural areas and to increase the rural medical workforce, has seen the completion of a 110-seat lecture theatre, tutorial spaces, simulation equipment and administration space in Wagga.

The facilities will increase the school's capacity from nine to 12 full-time students, in addition to four on rotation.

The school will begin to accept third-year students next year, so graduates can complete half of their four-year training in Wagga.

Associate professor Joe McGirr, the associate rural dean at The University of Notre Dame's school of medicine, said the school had trained 23 doctors from their existing Wagga facility for three years and that the new development added a training element to the town and enhanced the health precinct alongside the redevelopment of Wagga Base Hospital.

"On a lot of grounds, it's another great facility for the community of Wagga," he said after the official opening yesterday.

Professor McGirr hoped the clinic, which employs 12 staff, would attract more doctors to rural Australia.

"I think it's turning around finally," he said.

"I'm really encouraged by what's happening.

"It's not over by any stretch of the imagination but they (rural doctors) are definitely not a dying breed."

Six of the eight Rural Medical School students from last year completed an internship in Wagga, including Dr Ben Weber.

"It's a nice smooth transition," he said of the advantage of staying in Wagga post-study.

"The fact you're already familiar with the hospital, you know most of the consultants."

Students at the clinic will work across general practice, cardiology, general medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, paediatrics, anaesthetics, intensive care, women's health, psychiatry, Aboriginal health and aged care.

The government pledged a further $3.4 million to The University of Notre Dame to help operate its three rural campuses in Wagga, Lithgow and Ballarat.

The school is one of 17 supported by the Australian government under the rural clinical training and support program.