Northern Post for Award Winner
Travelling north for her first-year internship has been a boon for University of Queensland graduate Eleanor O’Neill and the Zonta Club of Brisbane 2022 Dr Helen Row Award winner.
Since graduating from UQ last year, she took an internship to the Townsville University Hospital which is the only tertiary referral centre in North Queensland, Townsville University Hospital treats patients from as far north as Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands, and west to Mount Isa and the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is also the major teaching hospital for James Cook University‘s schools of medicine, nursing and allied health and TAFE Queensland North.
In her short time there, Eleanor has already been out in the field and completed a 10-week posting to Palm Island. She was unable to receive her award in person however sent a note of thanks to the club for the $3000 award which is awarded to the UQ medical student, male or female, with the highest combined marks in the paediatrics and mental health clinical rotations.
The Dr Helen Row Zonta Memorial Prize was established by the Zonta Club of Brisbane in 1992 to honour Dr Row’s contribution as a pioneer in the field of child psychiatry in Queensland and as a Charter Member of the Club.The late Dr Row was committed to Zonta, and in her retirement years established 12 new clubs. She passed away in 1987. This award aims to promote interest and excellence in the treatment or prevention of mental health problems, including psychiatric and behavioural problems, in childhood and adolescence.
Eleanor came to medicine by a different path, having first studied philosophy and political science. These interests continue to shape her approach to medicine, and she is fascinated by the human-centred and personal side of medicine as well as the role that decision making policy can make in medical outcomes for people. Eleanor is also interested in how social and gender inequality can also greatly impact on a person’s health and wellbeing and also the treatment they receive.
We are delighted to see that Eleanor’s first year out of university is so full of learning and experience and we look forward to hearing more about her adventures in medicine.