My name is Tahlia, and I am a proud Gumbayngirr woman of Ngerrie land (South Grafton, NSW). I am currently studying Pharmacy, where I am excited about providing impactful healthcare on the front line to my community. After studies, I plan on relocating back to my homelands to assist the rural and regional healthcare professional shortages, and to lead my community to a positive, inclusive future.

Beyond my studies, I am a representative netball player of Grafton Netball Association and SCALA Netball, as well as a C badged umpire. I love to visit my family and friends back at home when I can, and I enjoy playing the guitar and piano.

I am extremely grateful to be deemed a recipient of this scholarship, and would like to address my appreciation to the Australian Rotary Health group.

I have been witness to various multi-layered issues surrounding Indigenous healthcare, including the lack of acknowledgement of Indigenous values, disparities between the perceptions of Indigenous culture within White culture, and further, the statistically poor schooling attendance rates of Indigenous students.

With several multifaceted and transforming issues in this space, I have already begun acting on my intention of contribution. By earning employment at Logan Hospital’s Pharmacy as an Indigenous Cadet, I have gained invaluable experience in broad clinical and procedural aspects of medicines within a large patient and staff population of Indigenous and multicultural peoples. I have additionally been expanding my knowledge and understanding of indigenous cultures and practices via Griffith University’s GUMURRI Unit and fellow Indigenous organisations holding extracurricular workshops. During my final year of secondary schooling, I also initiated a project in aim of introducing a program to South Grafton High School to improve the attendance and participation of Indigenous female students, with funding granted and a now functioning Foundation in operation to ultimately better social outcomes for these students.

As a future pharmacist, I believe that I will have more opportunities to connect with the Indigenous community regarding healthcare. I will hold primary responsibility for being on the front and last lines of optimising patients’ healthcare needs in a culturally safe and appropriate approach, whilst demonstrating medically safe and efficacious practice. I believe that I will be able to achieve this by creating culturally aware relationships within my community, influencing meaningful rapport building within my working team, continuing personal community involvement and education, diving into opportunities to improve indigenous healthcare, and acknowledging my representation of the wider healthcare system. With developing a pharmacist’s ability to problem-solve and critically think as well as containing bright beliefs and emotions swelling around my Indigenous culture, I strongly trust that the combination will deeply aid indigenous healthcare.