Building connections within the MDHS Indigenous community

On Monday 3 September, Indigenous staff, students and alumni from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences came together for a networking function.

Guests enjoyed the exhibition The Art of Healing: Australian Indigenous bush medicine at the Medical History Museum and made connections over drinks and canapés. It was an inspiring evening, showcasing the strength, leadership and diversity of the Faculty’s Indigenous community. You can see photos from the evening on Flickr.

Luke Burchill (MBBS 1999), Australia’s first Indigenous cardiologist, was a guest speaker at the event.

‘Sharing an evening with Indigenous graduates and students within the MDHS faculty, I was inspired to meet a new generation of movers and shakers coming up with strong connection to culture, community and country.

‘We are all the better for this increased representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the faculty and I look forward to hearing these voices coming through loud and clear in the years to come. Connecting gives us the chance to support one another and celebrate our achievements. And there is a lot to celebrate!’ he said.

Other guest speakers included Todd Fernando (PhD candidate), Ngaree Blow (MD/MPH 2015), Graham Gee (GDipPsych 2006) and Glenn Harrison (MBBS 1995).

We encourage Indigenous alumni and staff to stay connected with the Faculty. Building and maintaining these strong networks can help to build capacity among researchers in the Faculty, and lead to important learning and career opportunities for students.

We are committed to strengthening the cultural safety and diversity of MDHS. We thank all those who attended, and look forward to holding more events like this one in the future.

If you’d like to discuss how you can engage with MDHS, please contact our alumni team at mdhs-alumni@unimelb.edu.au or phone (03) 9035 7869.