Celebrating the 25-year legacy of JCU Medicine
James Cook University’s Medicine program is set to celebrate its 25th birthday, with the medical school producing more than 2500 doctors for Townsville and beyond since 2000.
The 25th anniversary celebrations will take place on the 9th and 10th of May and are an opportunity for alumni, colleagues and supporters to reconnect, reflect on the remarkable achievements of the past, and be inspired by the future of medicine at JCU.
The Dean of the College of Medicine and Dentistry Professor Sarah Larkins said the milestone marks the university’s longstanding and dedicated commitment to shaping healthcare in northern Queensland.
“Over the 25 years of JCU’s medicine program we have seen our graduates transform the medical workforce across rural, regional and remote northern Australia to a point of real sustainability,” Prof Larkins said.
“JCU graduates are providing supervision across the region and new home-grown services in specialty areas that have never been available in north Queensland before.
“The JCU medical program actively produces fit-for-purpose doctors to meet population and health sector needs through selecting medical students from rural, regional and remote backgrounds, which is about 70 per cent of our intake each year.
“We also provide a curriculum with a clear focus on rural, remote and tropical health, and the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and ensure that this training takes place led by passionate role models in rural, regional and remote communities.”
There remains a significant need for medical professionals in northern Queensland and as of 2024 JCU remains the largest contributor of trainees and fellows in the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway.
Among them is Dr Prue Wallin, a graduate of JCU’s second cohort of medical students in 2006 and recently announced as the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway Medical Director.
She has spent the past 19 years forging a career in rural and remote medicine across Queensland and will be one of the keynote speakers at the celebration events.
“JCU was still being built when I started, and I had a moment when I turned up for my interview of thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing?’,” Dr Wallin said.
“It certainly looked different to the sandstone buildings of UQ. But as soon as I accepted the position, I was glad I chose JCU.
“It was collegiate, supportive and hands-on with a focus on rural exposure. Serendipitously all that rural time helped reinforce my future career path and that this is where I’m best suited.”
Celebrations will begin with a welcome evening on Friday, May 9 and continue the next day with a 25-year Anniversary Celebration symposium featuring thought leaders at JCU’s medical precinct on the Bebegu Yumba Campus (Douglas) before an Alumni Celebration Cocktail Evening.
For more information on JCU Medicine’s 25-year Anniversary Celebrations and to purchase tickets visit https://www.nqrth.edu.au/jcu-medicine-25-year-anniversary-celebration.
Contacts
Media enquiries: rohan.oneil@jcu.edu.au