A rural generalist registrar who has provided dedicated care to the Queensland community of Palm Island is one of two recipients of the Rural Registrar of the Year Award 2022.
Dr Regina Waterhouse was presented with the award at the Rural Medicine Australia conference dinner in Canberra on Friday night.
She joins Dr Salma Hanif, a Fijian doctor who has delivered dedicated medical care to the remote NSW community of Boggabri, in receiving the Award this year.
The award is presented annually by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and Rural Doctors Association of Australia.
Dr Waterhouse - or 'Dr Reggie' as she is affectionately known by her patients - has provided medical care on Palm Island for the past 18 months, after completing her obstetrics training in Cairns.
A proud descendent of the Thupmul (stingray) clan of Badu Island and Thabu (snake) clan of Saibai Island, she was born in Cairns and raised in Far North Queensland.
She initially worked in the community services and disability support sector before completing medical school as a mature age student.
She now works at both the local hospital and primary care clinic on Palm Island, where she provides a regular 'focus clinic' with midwives to deliver care to high risk patients and engage them in antenatal care.
Dr Waterhouse is known for her compassionate care and dedicated advocacy for her Palm Island patients, many of whom face significant disadvantage.
She is also an active ACRRM council member with the aim to improve health outcomes more widely for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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Dr Waterhouse said: "I am a Torres Strait Islander, and by the time I had turned 20, I had already lost count of how many funerals I'd attended. I'd spent countless hours in clinic waiting rooms and from a young age helped my mother care for multiple family members with various chronic diseases.
"Although being fascinated by medicine, the idea of actually being a doctor was such an alien concept it took quite a few years of doing other things before finally giving it a go.
"The decider was realising I could continue to rant about my frustration with the failings of the health system or I could be a part of change.
"For me, rural generalism makes sense. I've never been able to contain my interest to just one area of medicine and the concept of cradle-to-grave care and everything in between fits with how I see the world."
ACRRM immediate past president Dr Sarah Chalmers said Dr Waterhouse demonstrated the very best attributes of rural generalism, providing her community with the highest quality of healthcare.
"She is a strong and passionate advocate for rural and remote medicine and provides an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare perspective on the ACRRM Council," she said.
"She achieves all this while balancing family commitments and continuing to train towards Fellowship. I congratulate her."
RDAA president Dr Megan Belot said Dr Waterhouse was a great example of the next generation of rural generalist doctors, balancing not only the service she was providing to her community, but also parenthood as the mother of two young children.
"She is a strong advocate for rural generalist medicine as a career path, and is living her commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare, providing a crucial service to those living on Palm Island."
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
