Lismore CBD Magazine - September Issue - Spring 2021 | Vol 1 No 3

YAMATJI MAN RECOGNISED AT THE PREMIER AWARDS

Third-year Curtin Medical School student Daniel Curran was awarded the Shell Aboriginal STEM Student of the Year for his inspirational work and commitment to closing the gap, including in his role as the first Aboriginal tutor in the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme at Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies.

Yamatji man, Daniel Curran has been studying medicine for three years. He has two years to go and is passionate about helping First Nation students. He tutors indigenous students one on one at Curtin University. “I've been at Curtin for four years. I came to the indigenous pre-medicine and health science enabling course in 2018. I mean anyone can come down whether they want to get into any health degree nursing whatever it may be to do that for 12 months and then get into anything and I chose the medicine and I've been doing that for three years now.” Through Mr Currans studies he has found that chronic kidney disease, ear, eye, and mental health impact First nations people the most. “It’s not to just treat the body but to treat the mind and treat their spirit because health is a combination of all it's a holistic meaning, we've got to look at the entire person. Not just the body but we go look at the person and everything that makes that person up from you know, their mental health their spiritual health, their physical health all of that contributes.” Mr Curran believes that access to health care is an issue for Indigenous Australians. “There are barriers just going to the hospital, sometimes your family go and they don't come back, and that's a bad representation of the Healthcare System, but we need a try and break that down and let indigenous people know that they are welcome and that they can access health services like their GP.” Mr Curran will be working in Broome next year.

www.ngaardamedia.com.au