AMA Queensland Foundation raises $140,000 for domestic and family violence services

The AMA Queensland Foundation has raised $140,000 for family violence support services through the ongoing support of our generous donors and its annual Charity Gala held on Saturday 17 August.

Guests gathered at the Boom Boom Room in Brisbane City for a night of drinks and heart-warming stories where they were invited to bid on auctions to support the cause.  

Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland was in attendance to present the Foundation's Medical Student Scholarships and to award the GPTQ Bursary recipients for 2025.

GPTQ Research and Training Bursaries

This is the second year these bursaries have been awarded with funding following the dissolution of General Practice Training Queensland (GPTQ).

The four bursaries of $20,000 are for GP Fellows or Registrars seeking to undertake training initiatives or research relevant to general practice.

Associate Professor Ewen McPhee and Drs Lisa Fraser, Rowan Gibbs and Naomi Penna are this year’s recipients.

Photos of the bursary winners are available on request.

A/Prof Ewen McPhee

Practice owner and long-term Emerald resident GP, A/Prof Ewen McPhee has received a bursary to support his exploration in Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to support doctors to better utilise their time.

Since arriving in Emerald in 1989, he has served the diverse and changing health needs of the growing and largely disadvantaged community.

“Access to services is difficult, medication costs high, GP numbers low, and infrequent bulk billing options mean delays in seeking care and increased late presentations,” A/Prof McPhee said.

“With GPs being increasingly involved in higher level complex patients, risk assessment tools become critical and there is a need for real time AI analytics to assist the GP at point of care.”

Dr Lisa Fraser

Rural GP and practice owner Dr Lisa Fraser has been awarded a bursary to complete further training in reproductive and sexual health.

Passionate about addressing health inequities, she is always seeking educational opportunities to better support her community as the only medical service in Gordonvale, North Queensland.

“My community has a large proportion of vulnerable people including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, those with disabilities, unemployed and elderly, and access to healthcare is limited by distance, availability and cost,” Dr Fraser said.

“Contraception and women's health is an area of poor health status and outcomes in rural areas. I hope that improving my skills in this area can benefit my community.”

Dr Rowan Gibbs

Former commercial fisherman turned GP Registrar Dr Rowan Gibbs has been awarded a bursary to support his training in critical areas for rural health.

Motivated by his time working in remote communities across Cape York and the Gulf Country, his goal is to advance his medical expertise and operate outreach clinics that bring both healthcare and hope to those in rural and remote areas.

“In rural settings, where each medical professional’s impact is magnified, the general practitioner’s role extends beyond the clinic walls, becoming a cornerstone of community wellbeing,” Dr Gibbs said.

“Through this bursary, I seek not only financial support but also partnership in a vision to make a tangible difference in the lives of Australians who are often forgotten.”

Dr Naomi Penna

Rural GP registrar Dr Naomi Penna has been awarded a bursary to support her research in the postpartum support available to mothers in rural and remote North Queensland.

“I am working part-time in a few clinical and non-clinical roles while raising our two-year-old son with my husband on our family owned MM7 mixed cropping and cattle farm 100km west of Charters Towers,” Dr Penna said.

“Given our family situation, I am committed to completing my Rural Generalist Training in the Charters Towers Region and working there indefinitely post fellowship.”

She hopes this research will support the development of a holistic postnatal care program, specifically for rural and remote mothers, to offer the support she never received herself as a new mother living remotely.

Medical Student Scholarships

The AMA Queensland Foundation Medical Student Scholarships are for students who are experiencing financial hardship. This year three scholarships were awarded, and thanks to the generosity of Indian Medical Association Queensland (IMAQ) members who raised $10,000, they were able to support another dedicated student.

The Foundation was pleased to award Goachagorn Darathai, Taylor Edgley, Wylie Leeson and, in collaboration with the IMAQ, Anna Duan with AMA Queensland Foundation Medical Student Scholarships of $10,000 to assist them to achieve their ambition to become doctors and serve the Queensland community.

Photos of the scholarship winners are available on request.

Ms Goachagorn Darathai

Final-year medical student Goachagorn Darathai moved from Thailand to Australia with her mum at the age of nine in pursuit of better educational opportunities.

Despite enduring financial and family struggles that continued well into her university years, her goal to become a cardiothoracic surgeon has never wavered.

“As a final year medical student, I often find it difficult to balance between work and clinical placements, often working night shifts, weekends, and even weekdays, finding very little time to study throughout my week,” Goachagorn said.

This scholarship will support Goachagorn to reduce her work hours, focus on her clinical placements and grow closer to her goal of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon where she hopes to “make meaningful impacts on patients’ lives and the community.”

Ms Taylor Edgely

Taylor Edgley was 12 when she lost her father to a battle with cancer. Despite her dreams of becoming a doctor, she was forced to leave school during year 12 before returning at 21 in her pursuit to study medicine.

“Like a lot of kids, I thought my parents were going to live forever, but that forever expired for me when I was 12 years old and lost my dad to cancer. I experienced grief that led me to drop out of high school,” Taylor said.

“You never think it'll happen to you until it does. And this is the reality that so many patients are confronted with when they enter the hospital for the first time.”

The scholarship will enable Taylor to continue her studies and complete her honours in pursuit of her dream to become a rural generalist with Advanced Skills Training in surgery.

Mr Wylie Leeson

Wylie Leeson’s first two years were a blend of academic, social and personal success, but during his third year, everything changed.

“I vividly remember waking up one morning in so much pain that I couldn't move. It was terrifying, at 24 years old, calling friends to take me to the hospital. And a little embarrassing having them help me get dressed to get there,” Wylie said.

“That day I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis which forced me to take a prolonged leave of absence from medical school, quit my jobs and accumulate significant debt from the medical expenses.”

With the support of the Medical Student Scholarship, Wylie has been able to rid the burden of allied healthcare costs, continue his training as a fifth-year medical student and get back on track to fulfill his dream of becoming a rural generalist in his hometown.

Ms Anna Duan

Fourth-year medical student Anna Duan migrated to Australia with her family at the age of five. Her experience as a first-generation immigrant has largely motivated her pursuit of medicine in public health.

“Growing up there were three of us kids and we faced things like physical violence, discrimination and a lot of mental and physical health issues,” Anna said.

“I have been guided all my life by a strong sense of justice and love. Although this may sound naive or even foolish in a world as harsh as ours, this has guided me as I aspire to become a public health physician and a rural generalist, rooted deeply in my family’s origins from rural North China – a world away from where I stand today as a fourth-year medical student in tropical Far North Queensland.”

The scholarship enables her to focus on her studies, extracurriculars and placement opportunities without the constant pressure of needing to find additional work to meet basic needs while she recovers from chronic health issues of her own.