Flinders University celebrated the dedication of health professionals across the Northern Territory (NT) at the annual Flinders University Rural and Remote Health NT Supervisor Recognition Awards on Thursday, 28 November 2024.
The awards honour doctors, allied health professionals, midwives, and nurses who supervise, teach, and support students and new staff in health workplaces.
Ceremonies were held across Flinders' campuses in Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs to recognise those who generously dedicate their time and expertise to shaping the future healthcare workforce.
Flinders University's Dean, Rural and Remote Health, Professor Robyn Aitken says the Supervisor Recognition Awards are an important way to appreciate the role health professionals play in training students.
"Our health professionals play a vital role in supervising and training students during their placement and providing support as they learn about remote contexts that they may not have previously encountered," she says.
Each year, Flinders University facilitates health placements in the NT for its own NT-based and South Australian students, alongside nearly 500 students from other universities across Australia.
These placements provide students with practical experience in rural and remote communities while showcasing the NT as a unique and rewarding destination for health professionals.
Professor Aitken expressed her deep gratitude to everyone involved in teaching and supervising.
"We can't thank the doctors, allied health professionals, nurses and midwives enough for giving their time and sharing their valuable knowledge with students who undertake placements in their workplace," she says.
"Without their guidance, students would miss the immersive, hands-on learning they need to excel after graduation," concludes Prof Aitken.
Dr Emma Kennedy, Director of the Flinders University Northern Territory Medical Program, highlighted the profound impact supervisors have on students.
"We can't be what we can't see. Supervisors show students the possibilities within their roles and demonstrate how to sensitively manage the vital relationships between health professionals and their patients," says Dr Kennedy.
In 2024, over 70 NT medical students and more than 120 medical students from interstate completed their work placement under the guidance of the dedicated supervisors.
This year, 18 health professionals and one student were awarded across six major categories for their dedication and commitment in providing support and guidance to the NT health workforce. Now in its seventh year, the awards continue to grow, with nearly 80 nominations received in 2024.
The full list of recipients:
Territory Ambassador
Allied Health: Alex Reardon (psychologist), Alice Springs
Nursing/Midwifery: Sharon Clark, Alice Springs
Medicine: Professor William Majoni, Darwin
Innovative Supervisor
Allied Health: Madeline Ellis (occupational therapist), Darwin
Nursing/Midwifery: Annette Hodgeson-Taylor, Ali Curung (Central Australia)
Medicine: Dr Shoba Selvanathan, Alice Springs
Commitment to Clinical Teaching
Allied Health: Mark Bartels (pharmacist), Alice Springs
Nursing/Midwifery: Mary Williams, Tennant Creek
Medicine: Dr Tamoor Mirza, Darwin
Outstanding Regional Supervisors
Central Australia
Allied Health: Ned Gaynor (occupational therapist), Alice Springs
Nursing/Midwifery: Junitta Richards, Alice Springs
Medicine: Dr Anosh Sivashanmugarajah, Alice Springs
Katherine
Allied Health: Dean Milner (optometrist)
Top End
Allied Health: Anna Murison (dietitian), Darwin
Nursing/Midwifery: Leanne Grace, Nhulunbuy
Medicine: Dr Roshitha Bakmeedeniya, Darwin
Trisha Maroney Memorial Prize (awarded to a health professional student on placement within the Katherine region who demonstrates the most significant self-reflection and improvement in cultural safe practice)
Thembelihle Khumalo
Champion Collaborator
Charl Neuhoff, Nhulunbuy
Lifetime Achievement
Lesley Woolf, Maningrida
