Final-Year Pharmacy Student Shi-Anne Wallace Aims to Change the Face of Healthcare

Shi-Anne Wallace receiving her pharmacy award at the 2024 JCU Pharmacy Awards evening.

As she approaches graduation, JCU Pharmacy student Shi-Anne Wallace is looking to a future filled with passion and purpose. A proud Indigenous student, Shi-Anne regularly commutes from her home in Atherton to the Cairns campus—a journey that reflects her dedication not only to her studies but to improving healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Shi-Anne’s commitment to culturally responsive care and Indigenous health advocacy is already making an impact. Her journey into pharmacy, however, wasn’t always part of the plan.

“I’ve always wanted to work in health, but I wasn’t sure which path to take. I fell into pharmacy, and now I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she says. “I love the clinical side of pharmacy, but I also love that pharmacists are so deeply embedded in the community. We’re often the first point of contact for people seeking care.”

Academically strong from a young age—especially in science—Shi-Anne initially considered a career in medicine. But when the opportunity to study pharmacy at JCU came up, allowing her to stay close to her unwell grandparents, her path was made clear.

“Toward the end of school, one of my lecturers encouraged me to look into pharmacy. I already had a close relationship with our local community pharmacist, and I realised pharmacy combined everything I enjoyed – chemistry, healthcare, and community. I also didn’t want to move away from home. Pharmacy made sense.”

Since then, Shi-Anne has embraced her role as a changemaker. She made history as the first Indigenous Chair of the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA), using the platform to champion cultural awareness, increased representation, and advocate for better support for Indigenous pharmacy students across the country.

Earlier this year, she travelled to the United States to attend the world’s first International Indigenous Pharmacy Gathering at the University of Minnesota. The event brought together First Nations pharmacists and students from across the globe—including Aotearoa New Zealand, the United States, and Australia—to exchange insights and explore ways to embed culture into pharmacy practice.

“It was incredible,” Shi-Anne reflects. “We had Maori pharmacists from Otago University, American Indian pharmacists, and students all talking about the challenges we face and the importance of bringing traditional knowledge into modern healthcare. I even got to present to a room full of medical professors and share what we’re doing here in Australia. It was completely unexpected, but such an honour.

Shi-Anne (right) with her mentor, Professor Faye McMillan AM, a Wiradjuri woman and community pharmacist at the International Indigenous Pharmacy Gathering in the USA. 

“My biggest mentor is the first Indigenous Australian pharmacist, (Faye McMillan), who graduated in 2001. That’s only 24 years ago. Today, there are still fewer than 150 Indigenous pharmacists out of 39,000 nationally. That lack of representation is something I’m passionate about changing. I want to show younger Indigenous students what’s possible. Pharmacy gives you clinical skills and community connection – it’s a powerful combination.”

The experience underscored both the progress made in Australia to date and the challenges that remain.

“Here at JCU, we’re making progress. Cultural responsiveness is part of the curriculum, and the Indigenous student centre has been an amazing support,” she says. “But there’s still work to be done. Real, practical exposure to Indigenous communities needs to be part of every student’s training.”

That belief is driving her next steps. Shi-Anne is set to complete placements in both Thursday Island and locally in Far North Queensland, gaining real-world experience in remote and regional healthcare. After graduating, she hopes to begin her professional career in a large hospital, with the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital high on her list.

Shi-Anne enjoying the local scenery whilst on placement on Thursday Island. 

“Thursday Island is a community placement with outreach to outer islands – it’s not just dispensing medications, it’s about building relationships. That’s the kind of real exposure to Indigenous health that pharmacy students need more of,” Shi-Anne says.

“I want to absorb everything I can,” she adds. “Working in a large hospital will give me exposure to different specialties—especially in cardiology, which really interests me. Then I’ll be able to take that knowledge back home and use it in a rural or Indigenous setting where it’s needed most.”

Shi-Anne’s path hasn’t been without obstacles. One of five siblings and the first in her family to finish high school, she was raised by a single mother and often had to forge her own way. But her journey—marked by resilience, leadership, and a clear sense of purpose—stands as a powerful example of what’s possible with commitment and hard work.

“Sometimes it only takes one person to show others what’s possible,” she says. “If I can be that person for someone else, then I’ll be proud.”