Zachary Vellacott, a third year University of Southern Queensland Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine Pathway) student, has been awarded the Toowoomba Region's 2025 W. H. Groom Centenary of Toowoomba Scholarship.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald congratulated the former St Joseph's College student on his academic and community service achievements. The prize was presented at today's (January 26, 2025) Toowoomba City Australia Day award presentation ceremony at Picnic Point, (pictured below).
Mr Vellacott is entering the third and final year of his Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences degree at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) and will continue his studies for another four years to complete a Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Queensland.
Mr Vellacott has ambitions of becoming a paediatric cardiologist.
"(I'm) really drawn to the field of paediatric cardiology, which I think makes sense and really resonates with me, having been a patient in that sort of area when I was younger…," Mr Vellacott said.
Mr Vellacott experienced serious health issues from the age of three until he was 16. Experiencing many hospital visits and exposure to different doctors, Mr Vellacott realised he wanted to help people by becoming a doctor who put patient care before anything else.
