Mount Isa GP Marjad Page and Gladstone GP Claudia Collins are the joint inaugural recipients of the Denis Lennox Medal for an Outstanding Rural Generalist Registrar.

The award was presented on June 10 at the closing gala ball of the annual Rural Doctors Association of Queensland conference in Townsville.

The medal recognises trainees with an exemplary level of commitment to rural practice and outstanding service to their communities and colleagues.

Dr Denis Lennox, who will retire this year after decades of service to health in Queensland, is regarded among his peers as a champion of the enormously successful Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway, credited with swelling doctor ranks throughout rural, regional and remote Queensland.  

In receiving their awards, both recipients acknowledged the pride they felt to share the occasion with one another and with so many of their respected colleagues and mentors present.

Dr Page, a proud Kalkadoon, Waanyi and Ganggalidda man from the Mt Isa region, commenced his registrar training in 2010 and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

Dr Page has completed advanced skills training in obstetrics and gynaecology and is a qualified GP anaesthetist. He has worked in public, private and community settings.

RDAQ immediate past-president, Dr Michael Rice, said Dr Page was deeply committed to rural practice and was Mount Isa’s first traditional-owner general practitioner, returning to his community to help bridge the gap within the health system.

Dr Rice also recognised Dr Page’s contribution to his colleagues.

“Marjad continues to support and mentor students and registrars and has recently been accepted to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Queensland Rural Generalist Leader Program,” he said.

Dr Claudia Collins, also a Fellow of ACRRM, started her registrar training in 2009.

She has worked in Rockhampton and Longreach and now is based in Gladstone working with Nhulundu Health Service, completing a second advanced qualification in Indigenous health following on from her qualifications in obstetrics.

In presenting the medal, Dr Rice said Dr Collins had demonstrated a high level of commitment to rural practice through her work in Indigenous health and improved antenatal and postnatal care to Indigenous women.

“Claudia has built a rapport between services in Gladstone, improving Indigenous ‘mums and bubs’ health outcomes,” he said.   

Dr Collins, whose motto for the care she provides is ‘strong mums, healthy bubs’, is a member of the statewide lead clinician’s group formed by Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council to improve Indigenous health service provision and Indigenous health outcomes in Queensland.