The University of Notre Dame Australia medical student Eloise Delaney has been named the Western Australian winner of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Medical Student of the Year.
Currently completing her studies through Notre Dame's Kimberley Centre for Remote Medical Training (KCRMT), Eloise said the award reflected the support of the many people who had shaped her journey.
“I am incredibly honoured to be recognised as the WA ACRRM Medical Student of the Year,” she said.
“While my name might be on the award, none of the work I have done in the rural health space has been achieved alone. I have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by mentors, peers, clinicians and community members who have generously shared their time, knowledge and experiences with me.”
The national award recognises her longstanding passion for rural and remote medicine, which has been strengthened through her experiences studying and working across regional Western Australia and the Kimberley.
Before starting her Doctor of Medicine study, Eloise travelled to the Kimberley through her work in research and quickly developed a connection to the region.
However, it was the opportunity to better understand, and address health inequities experienced by Aboriginal communities that motivated her to transfer her studies to Notre Dame’s Kimberley program.
“Within my own state there remain significant disparities in health outcomes for Aboriginal people,” she said.
“This was a major driving force behind my decision to study in the Kimberley. I wanted to better understand these inequities and, even in a small way as a medical student, contribute to improving health outcomes in the communities I was learning from.”
Studying medicine in the Kimberley has given Eloise a first-hand insight into the realities of rural healthcare and reinforced her commitment to working in regional and remote communities.
“You can read about diseases in a textbook, but it is different when you meet a young person living with the consequences of conditions that are largely preventable,” she said.
“Those experiences make the health disparities that exist in Australia impossible to ignore.”
Throughout her degree, Notre Dame's rural immersion opportunities have played a pivotal role in shaping her career aspirations.
A first-year Wheatbelt immersion placement in Narrogin exposed her to the breadth of rural medical practice and introduced her to the role of Rural Generalists and GP Obstetricians. Aboriginal health field trips, including visits to culturally significant sites and learning directly from Aboriginal communities, further strengthened her understanding of culturally-safe healthcare.
“These experiences reinforced the importance of understanding Country, community and history when providing culturally-safe care,” she said.
Eloise credits much of her growth to the clinicians and communities who have welcomed her into the Kimberley.
“For me, it really is the people that make rural and remote medicine so rewarding,” she said.
“I've loved getting to know patients in the Kimberley, who are so generous in sharing their stories, their lives and their experiences with us. There's a real sense of community and connectedness here that is quite special.”
Looking ahead, she hopes to remain in the Kimberley and pursue a career in women’s health and obstetrics, continuing to learn from the region's clinicians and communities while supporting better health outcomes for women living in rural and remote Australia.
“This award has reinforced that rural and remote medicine is where I want to build my career and, hopefully, continue giving back to the communities and people who have already given me so much,” she said.
Eloise is now a finalist for the national ACRRM National Medical Student of the Year Award, to be presented at the Rural Medicine Australia conference on 23 October.
Media Contact: media@nd.edu.au