Download high resolution image [PNG 3834.17 KB]
58 medical interns will begin work across Darling Downs Health’s hospitals this month, marking the largest cohort of interns that have started since the program commenced.
The 12-month graduate program will see the medical interns experience the demands of urban, rural and remote medicine.
Health Service Chief Executive, Annette Scott PSM said Darling Downs Health is an invigorating place to learn and advance medical careers with excellent rates of second and third-year doctors reported.
“I’m so pleased to welcome this latest cohort of interns to the health service, and we look forward to working with them to achieve great outcomes for the community and health service.
Health Service Chief Executive, Annette Scott PSM
“A significant part of our health service covers rural areas so it’s very encouraging to see young doctors preparing for careers in general practice in regional communities.
“These foundation years for medical graduates are exceptionally important and I’m confident they’ll have a positive experience at Darling Downs Health,” Ms Scott said.
Dr Shannon Woodhead has moved from New South Wales to take up employment with Darling Downs Health.
“I come from a small rural town on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, I studied down in Wollongong and decided to come up to Darling Downs Health as I’ve visited Toowoomba a couple of times and I love it, I love the people, I love the surrounds, so I decided to move here to start my career.
“We have an excellent cohort of interns, every person that I’ve met has been extremely friendly and everyone sounds like they did specifically choose Toowoomba,” Dr Woodhead said.
Dr Anthony Patsalou has returned to Toowoomba after completing his medical degree and is excited to begin his first placement at the Warwick Hospital Emergency Department.
“I’m keen to get out there, I’m quite used to the rural communities having done placements in Kingaroy and Roma. Hopefully when I come back to Toowoomba in 12 weeks, the experience will have set me up for other rotations as well.
“I think coming back to Toowoomba as an intern is a good option. It’s not too big of a hospital, but it’s also not too small either. Darling Downs Health is the perfect mix of being well supported and having lots of opportunities to do things,” Dr Patsalou said.
Dr Curtis Rayment said Darling Downs Health came with positive reviews from other medical students who’d commenced their careers with the Health Service.
“I’m interested in doing rural medicine, Darling Downs Health has a good rural focus and it’s a big hospital where I get to see and do everything I want to do, but then there’s also the rural focus.
“During my intern year I want to build upon everything I learnt during my medical degree and get a better idea of what I want for my future as a doctor. Darling Downs Health is a good place to be doing that,” Dr Rayment said.
Hailing from Canada, Dr Nimara Dias has chosen to stay in Australia to commence her medical career.
“Due to COVID, I couldn’t go back to Canada for the first two years of study, so the biggest thing I needed to create was a support network for myself. I now have such deep roots placed in Australia, it’s hard to build this for yourself, and work hard every day to turn away from it and go back to a country where I haven’t lived for four years. I’ve put some roots down in Australia and want to see where this all goes.
“There’s opportunity at Darling Downs Health for more clinical skills, I was able to get a paediatric rotation which I really love because I want to go into paediatrics and that was offered, so there’s opportunity here to be a more well-rounded doctor,” Dr Dias said.