CAMARADERIE AND CELEBRATION:
Student Conference and Graduation Recap — Informative and Memorable
Friday evening’s Welcome Reception on 26 May 2023 marked the official kick-off of this year’s Student Conference and Graduation in Brisbane, Australia.
On Saturday morning the 27th, the Conference program was, of course, opened with welcomes from both Taffy Gould, OUM’s Founder and Chairman of the OUM Council, and Professor Athol Mackay, Vice Chancellor. In addition to many enlightening presentations by OUM faculty, students, and alumni, the conference attendee experience was enriched by numerous guest speakers throughout Saturday and Sunday, beginning with Dr. Chris Carty, delivering this year’s Taffy Gould Oration, “Personalisation, Prediction and Precision in Orthopaedics,” followed by
- Dr. Padma Rao, Director, The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne: “Radiology Services: An Opportunity for Collaboration”
- Dr. Raju Laksmana, Director of Training for Specialist International Medical Graduates in Psychiatry, Clinical Director of Mental Health Services, Sunshine Private Hospital: “IMOs and How to Gain Internships”
- Dr. Maria Boulton: “Australian Medical Association – Membership and what that means for you”
- Dr. Michael Wagels, Staff Specialist, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Princess Alexandra Hospital: “Integrating Research Into Your Career”
Throughout both Saturday and Sunday, a record 14 students presented their required Student Research Project in hopes of being named the Second Annual Winner of the SGIN Student Research Prize, sponsored by the St. George Institute of Neuroscience, directed by OUM faculty member Dr. Ali Ghahreman. This year’s winner was Dr. Thelma Boshoff, also a member of the Class of 2023. To see the award announcement and a complete listing of the Student Research Projects and their presenter, click HERE.
Congratulations, Graduates
As usual, the Conference highlight was witnessing 16 students from Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa earn their Doctor of Medicine degrees on 27 May 2023.
Hosting the Ceremony — attended by 100 graduates, family members, friends, and colleagues — was Professor Paddy Dewan, Dean for Australia and New Zealand. He opened the festivities with an acknowledgement of the Turrbal and Yuggera people, the First Nation owners of the lands where the Conference took place, also paying respect to elders, past, present, and emerging.
Diplomas were presented by Taffy Gould and Professor Mackay.
Receiving their diplomas in Brisbane were *
Dr. Uloma Suzie Ajayi
Dr. Tatjana Balint
Dr. Thelma Boshoff
Dr. Juliana Marieta Chewlit (Samoa)
Dr. Megan Anne Coad
Dr. Fariba Daniel
Dr. Hanna Ali Hagose
Dr. Lyneé Carla Jones
Dr. Uila Laifa-Lima (Samoa)
Dr. Helena Taeu Masipau (Samoa)
Dr. Mercy Zengeni
Earning their degrees in absentia were
Dr. Emma Broughton
Dr. Stephen Ngan Cokim
Dr. Ahmed Numan (New Zealand)
Dr. John Marc Michael Fedele
Dr. Simon Richard Glanvill Walters
Also acknowledged were the two Cum Laude graduates, those with GPAs of 3.5 to 3.79 (out of 4.0), Dr. Lyneé Jones and Dr. Emma Broughton. As the graduate with the highest GPA, Dr. Jones also delivered the Valedictory Address.
Prior to Professor Dewan concluding the ceremony, Dr. David Mountford, Associate Dean for Australia and New Zealand, led the graduates in taking the Hippocratic Oath. (For a visual recap, see the photos following the story.)
OUM’s next Graduation Ceremony will be held during the North American Conference in Dallas, Texas (US), 21-22 October 2023. Watch OUM newsletters and social media for announcement of the 2024 Australia/New Zealand/Samoa graduation date.
(July 2023)
*North American graduates are listed in the October Conference & Graduation story.
