Toowoomba Hospital Specialist Wins UQ Award

The teaching work of Toowoomba Hospital consultant endocrinologist Dr Sheila Cook was recognised at a University of Queensland (UQ) awards ceremony recently. Dr Cook was one of two recipients of the 2016 UQ Leading Change and Excellence in Teaching and Learning award.

“It’s an annual award from UQ and there were two awards given for teaching this year with both of those going to teachers at the UQ Rural Clinical School, being myself and Jules Bennett, who is one of our academic teachers at Hervey Bay,” Dr Cook said.

Dr Cook received her award in recognition of the work she has been doing on with the University of Queensland Rural Clinical School preparing student doctors for day-to-day work as a junior doctor in the hospital wards. “We’ve been running the program for the past two years and it’s dedicated to helping prepare final year medical students to become better skilled junior doctors,” she said.

“Day-to-day life for a young doctor can be very demanding, so the program has a very practical focus. “It’s not as much about improving clinical knowledge, but more focussed on professionalism, time management and how to cope with a busy hospital environment.

“As far as we are aware, it is the first program of its kind in the world, so we created it from scratch here in Toowoomba,” Dr Cook said.

“Many of our junior doctors at Toowoomba Hospital have trained here at the University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, and have successfully participated in the program. They are amongst the best junior doctors we have seen and are now passing on what they have learned to medical students coming through. “It is very pleasing to see, and certainly good for Toowoomba Hospital.”

Submitted by:
Media, Communication and Engagement team
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service
Web: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/darlingdowns/