This month, Bundaberg Hospital proudly hosted a celebratory lunch to honor the outstanding achievements of its 2024 cohort of interns.
Bundaberg Hospital Medical Education Unit annual awards have been running since 2013, and each year recognise the Intern of the year and Supervisor of the year.
The event also served as an opportunity to express gratitude to the dedicated supervisors, mentors, and educators who have supported the interns throughout this transformative year in their medical careers.
The highlight of the celebration was the announcement of the Intern of the Year award, presented to Dr. Sanaa Hafeez-Baig, an Intern in General Medicine.
A proud regional Queenslander, Dr. Hafeez-Baig understands the unique challenges of practicing medicine in the Wide Bay area and is excited to make Bundaberg her home.
"What’s been important to me this year is the support I’ve had, the teaching I’ve received, being able to learn so much, talk to people, and ask questions,” she said.
“All of that has been so important. Being nominated as Intern of the Year has been absolutely fabulous, but at the end of the day, what’s important is everything that’s happened throughout the year.”
Emergency Medicine InternDr. Katherine Gough who received a Highly Commended saidreceiving the award was such wonderful recognition of the hard work that all the interns have put in this year.
"The first year of any profession is always a challenge,” she said.
“But with that challenge comes immense fulfilment when you realise that you’re able to complete tasks and feel successful and supported in what you’re doing.”
Internship is a defining period in a doctor’s career, bridging the gap between student and practitioner.
While it is a year filled with challenges—often stressful and exhausting—it is also immensely rewarding, as demonstrated by the commitment and resilience shown by the 2024 cohort.
Their hard work and dedication have directly contributed to delivering high-quality care to the Wide Bay community.
The event also recognised the vital role of supervisors in shaping the next generation of doctors.
Emergency Staff SpecialistDr. Julien Duay was honored as Supervisor of the Year (large unit).
Passionate about his work, Dr. Duay reflected on the experience of mentoring interns.
"I’m enthusiastic about my work and job, and it’s great that the junior doctors have picked up on that,” he said.
“I’m pleased to have been a role model, supervisor, and teacher, and I’m happy that I’ve had a great bunch of interns to work with this year.”
In the smaller units, Anaesthetics and ICU Staff SpecialistDr. Piotr Konopka was recognized as Supervisor of the Year.
He highlighted the effort and dedication required to provide meaningful supervision.
"We only have one or two interns at a time, and people sometimes underestimate the work that’s involved in providing supervision,” he said.
“You have to put some work into it, so it’s always nice to be appreciated.”
The celebration would not have been possible without the support of the University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, whose sponsorship underscores the importance of recognizing the achievements of medical professionals at all stages of their careers.
Congratulations to all the interns and supervisors on their well-deserved accolades.
Together, they are shaping the future of healthcare in the Wide Bay region, one achievement at a time.
Of the 17 interns in the 2024 cohort, 13 continuing into 2025 with Bundaberg Hospital.