News Archive

It is exciting times for the last cohort of undergraduates in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery who are a week away from graduation before they enter our hospitals officially as doctors.

It is an especially wonderful week for one student. Declan Scott, a proud Wirlomin, Noongar man has been awarded the 2016 ANZCA/ASA Gilbert Troup Prize in Anaesthetics, supported by The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA).

Declan was invited to compete in an ‘invite only’ exam this week due to his high achieving marks earlier in the year for Anaesthetics.

After being notified that he had won, Declan hoped it would help challenge stereotypes of Aboriginal students who gain entry into medicine through access programs.

“A lot of people would be of the opinion that we get a free ride, but I wouldn’t be in medicine without special Aboriginal entry programs,” he said.

“I hope to show that with access and hard work, we can do anything."

Beginning his academic journey at UWA in 2008 as a Year 11 student, Declan came to the School of Indigenous Studies for tutoring, where he met many young Aboriginal university students who would later inspire him to attend UWA.

“For me, I studied medicine for lots of reasons, but the main one was that it is a way to improve access to healthcare for Aboriginal people,” Mr Scott said.

Declan will attend his graduation with his proud parents later this month.

Article by Marlia Miyalan Fatnowna

Media references

Gabrielle Garratt (UWA School of Indigenous Studies)  (+61 8) 6488 2467

David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716