Pharmacy Bush Crusader

Selina Taylor has lived in Mount Isa since she was two days old and came to JCU to complete an undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy.

Since completing her Bachelor, Taylor returned to Mount Isa and became a Pharmacy academic for JCU who focuses on providing support to Pharmacy students through their rural placements.

Selina Taylor said she has always had a passion for teaching and pharmacy and loves having the opportunity to help support JCU students.

“I’ve lectured the Pharmacy students and I’ve sat in those same seats in the lecture theatres [on JCU Townsville Campus] and also didn’t know where I was going to go with my career. Then, I went out and did my intern year. So, when I’m supporting the interns out here I know exactly what the intern program is like for them and being able to use my own experience to support them is really good,” she said.

Taylor believes rural pharmacy is more diverse than working in a metropolitan area.

“You’re at the forefront of healthcare in rural and remote areas. You’ve got patients presenting in pharmacies with conditions that they would generally go see a doctor for. It can be a bit of a wait to go in to see a doctor so, you are often dealing with things like more complex health conditions,” she said.

She encourages all JCU students to get out of their comfort zones and apply for a rural pharmacy placement.

“It’s only in those places that you can really know what you are capable of and what can make a difference in your career. Your student placement opportunities is a time to really have a go at something that you wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to do.”

Taylor said rural pharmacy placements that she completed in her third and fourth years at JCU, were extremely rewarding and equipped her with the skills and confidence that helped advance her pharmacy career.

“I never did any metropolitan placement. All of my placements were based in rural areas and I loved them all. I think the placements gave me the confidence to be able to go back into a rural area and gave me the confidence to go home and apply what I’ve learnt.”

Taylor said the unique opportunities she has had throughout her career are due to rural and remote pharmacy practice.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have a very successful pharmacy career in a rural area. I went into my intern year. I managed a community pharmacy and then I went on to do home medication review consultations. That’s in addition to my JCU role, there is nowhere else that you could do that sort of work and I love it. So that’s amazing,” she said.

In 2009, Taylor received the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s, Queensland Intern of the Year award, for developing the Section 100 supply and support of medication application in the Mount Isa Aboriginal clinical centre, Gidgee Healing.

“It was something that I didn’t expect to receive at all. Being the only intern out in Mount Isa at that time, to receive an award like that, was very gratifying. I was glad to receive recognition for work with Indigenous people and to be able to promote Indigenous health as well. I guess trying to inspire other young people that are going into intern positions, that they don’t have to just have a stock standard intern year. If they apply themselves to the areas they are working in, they can really make a difference.”

Selina Taylor loves being able to give back to the Mount Isa community.

“Every day, when I come home after doing clinical work, I feel like I’ve made a difference and that’s all that you can ask for in a job really. I feel sorry for people who go to work just to work. I go to work because I love what I do.”

Taylor has just started a Postgraduate at JCU to add to her list of accreditation.

“I really do love study. I’ve studied since I graduated. I did my Bachelor and then I did my Home Medicine Review (HMR) accreditation and then my Graduate Certificate in Diabetes Identification and now I’ve started my masters. Life’s short and you’ve got to live it.”

Taylor said she has no plans to stop doing the job that she loves and will continue to inspire JCU students to do rural and remote pharmacy placements.

Selina Taylor
JCU Alumni and Academic