Hervey Bay celebrates 10 graduating Doctor of Medicine students

6 Dec 2024

The University of Queensland (UQ) Medical School is celebrating 10 graduating Doctor of Medicine (MD) students from the Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Unit, who will embark on their journey as junior doctors.

Amongst the sea of smiling faces being honoured at a graduation ceremony in Brisbane this Friday will be Dr Andre Leiva, who completed his final year of study with the Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Unit (RCU).

Dr Andre Leiva (right) undertaking Clinical Skills session

Andre’s decision to pursue medicine built slowly and over time throughout his undergraduate studies in Clinical Science with Macquarie University; and only came to fruition after Covid-19 halted his plans in 2020.

“I was interested in physiotherapy and chiropractic care, however being surrounded by other students who aspired to be doctors, it made me realise it was a possibility for me too,” Dr Levia said.

“My plans to take a gap year post graduation were interrupted by Covid-19, so instead of travelling; I found myself applying for medical school.”

Andre accepted the offer to study medicine with UQ, relocating from Sydney to Brisbane. He admits it took a while to adjust but started to see change as a great opportunity.

“Going rural wasn’t something I had considered, but when it came time to preference study locations for Year 3, I convinced some of my other medical school friends to take the risk with me to apply for the Rockhampton Regional Clinical Unit,” he said.

Dr Andre Leiva (far right) with fellow medical students, at the Rocky River Run 2023

The experience was so good that Andre and his friends completed their final year with the Hervey Bay RCU.

“I have loved the close interactions with registrars and consultants, working in multidisciplinary teams and the freedom and responsibilities that have come with regional medicine,” he said.

“I have also been able to have a great social life outside of medicine in both Hervey Bay and Rockhampton and been welcomed into sporting activities and events by the communities.” 

Andre attributes the exposure to regional and rural medicine over the last 2 years as the reason he accepted a place on the Rural Generalist Pathway and why he will be interning with the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service in Hervey Bay next year.

2024 Doctor of Medicine graduates from the Hervey Bay Regional Clinical Unit

Head of Hervey Bay RCU, Dr Rudi Prasad congratulated the graduating students and is proud to be involved in training future doctors in the region.

“Seeing students transform into doctors is a special honour; and one that we proudly do right here in Hervey Bay,” Dr Prasad said.

“UQ proudly pledged to be a University FOR Queensland in the Queensland Commitment initiative, and we are true examples of this, offering access to medical education outside of metropolitan Brisbane.

“This pledge, alongside the Regional Medical Pathway initiative, will increase medical student numbers in the region, exposing more people to consider rural medical careers.”

Launched in 2022, the Central Queensland Wide Bay Regional Medical Pathway (RMP), a partnership forged between UQ, CQUniversity, and the Central Queensland and Wide Bay Hospital and Health Services, enables university students to complete all their undergraduate and postgraduate studies and practical training in the Central Queensland and Wide Bay regions.

In 2025, there will be around 150 students studying across all 7 years of the RMP based in the Wide Bay region.

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