Australian Medical Association (WA)

22/10/2026

The WA Aboriginal Eye Health Forum 2026 will bring together communities, clinicians, researchers and policymakers to strengthen culturally safe and sustainable eye health outcomes for Aboriginal people in WA.

This forum is a must for:
🔸 Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners
🔸 Administrators and Coordinators
🔸 Chronic Disease Coordinators
🔸 General Practitioners (GPs) and Nurses
🔸 Optometrists and Ophthalmologists

📅 Tuesday 24 November, 8:30am - 4:30pm
📍 The University Club of Western Australia, Crawley
⏰ Registrations Close: Friday 6 November 2026
👉 Register at https://ruralhealthwest-waaehf26.eventsairsite.com

Rural Health West

22/10/2026

Award-winning Geraldton doctor and AMA (WA) member, Richard Taylor, has been named GP of the Year by the RACGP in WA for his outstanding contribution to his local community and the personalised impact of his work.

“It’s an incredible honour,” Dr Taylor said. “I’m lost for words.”

The second-generation GP received the RACGP WA Faculty Legend Award in 2025, recognising his advocacy for rural healthcare, his leadership as chair of the Midwest GP Network and as a medical educator with the RACGP, and in March he was also named GP of the Year in the 2026 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards.

“Richard’s story, like many other colleagues, is a powerful reminder of what rural general practice means to our communities,” RACGP WA chair Dr Ramya Raman said.

19/10/2026

The WA Child Research Fund (WACRF) has announced more than $4 million in child research funding, for projects including fighting cancer with a gentler form of immunotherapy and reducing the risks associated with surgery.

The WACRF was established by the Department of Health and the Telethon Trust in 2012 to provide financial support to research projects that focus on the health of children and adolescents in WA.

Six of the seven projects are led by researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia, including two led by AMA (WA) members Professor Peter Richmond and Professor Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg AM..

WA Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson announced the grants, and said that:

“Western Australia is home to exceptional research talent, and this funding is helping researchers translate new ideas into better care, healthier futures and improved outcomes for children across our State.”

Congratulations to all the researchers. Read more at the link in the comments👇

19/10/2026

In the President's Blog from this edition of Med e-Link, Dr Kyle Hoath writes about the proposed merger of three of WA's universities.

Clearly, any such reform has the potential to significantly affect the training of medical students, with both UWA and Curtin hosting medical schools.

We acknowledge structural reform may present opportunities to improve collaboration, reduce unnecessary duplication and enhance research performance. However, any reform affecting medical education must be approached with particular care because its consequences extend well beyond the tertiary education sector and directly influence the capacity of WA’s health system to train, recruit and retain doctors and in turn, wider community.

Medical schools, unlike most other university faculties, operate through complex partnerships with public and private hospitals, general practice, rural health services, research institutes, accreditation authorities and specialist medical colleges. Their success depends on highly coordinated clinical training environments, experienced clinician educators and access to finite clinical placement capacity. Structural change that overlooks these interdependencies risks weakening the very workforce pipeline Western Australia is seeking to strengthen.

Read more at the link in the comments👇

15/10/2026

The retirement of Department of Health Director General Dr Shirley Bowen, an AMA (WA) member, will be a significant loss for WA’s health system but is richly deserved after four decades of distinguished service in medicine and senior health leadership, according to AMA (WA) President Dr Kyle Hoath.

“I have enormous respect for Shirley, both as a clinician and as a leader, and have greatly valued the collaborative relationship we have built,” Dr Hoath said.

“She has brought a willingness to listen, engage openly and work through difficult issues together. That matters enormously to doctors who want their concerns heard and who want to be part of improving care for their patients.

“On behalf of the AMA (WA), I thank Shirley for her substantial contribution to healthcare in this State. There is still important work ahead before she finishes in February, and I look forward to continuing that work together. When the time comes, she will leave with my sincere thanks and very best wishes for her retirement.”

14/10/2026

Dr Nicole Burger, Co-Chair of the AMA (WA) Doctors in Training Practice Group, spoke to Nadia Mitsopoulos this morning about junior doctors being denied parking at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital, despite no changes to available bays or to their working hours.

Hear the full interview at https://youtu.be/nKTFtWmyTTA

14/10/2026

Dr Nicole Burger, Co-Chair of the AMA (WA) Doctors in Training Practice Group, spoke to Nadia Mitsopoulos about junior doctors being denied parking at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital, despite no changes to available bays or to their working hours.

13/10/2026

As a doctor, your ability to earn is your biggest financial asset.

Years of study and training built your career. An illness or injury can disrupt it quickly.

Income protection provides regular monthly payments if you’re unable to work, so you can focus on recovery rather than finances.

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13/10/2026

13/10/2026

Ticket sales for MEDBALL26 close this Friday, 16 October. ✦

Saturday 31 October 2026, The Westin Perth, from 6.30pm.

An evening with WA's medical community: the AMA (WA) Awards, a celebration of 30 years of Dr YES, dinner, entertainment, and auctions that support the AMA (WA) Foundation's work in youth health education.

If you have been meaning to book, there are only three days left, and limited individual tickets and tables remain.

AMA (WA) members along with all current and former Dr YES volunteers are eligible for discounted tickets. Email [email protected] for details.

Tickets: https://www.amawa.com.au/medball/

With thanks to AMA (WA) Awards Presenting Partner WA Department of Health, Gold Partners MDA National, Clinipath Pathology, Panetta McGrath Lawyers and Roshana Care Group, Luxury Experience Partner Hardy Brothers, and Supporting Partner Silverchain.