Medical graduate makes history as Queensland’s first quadriplegic intern after job offer from Gold Coast University Hospital

DINESH Palipana has finally received the phone call he has been waiting oh-so-long for. “A lady said ‘You start on Monday’,” the Griffith School of Medicine graduate said of the news that will see him become Queensland Health’s first quadriplegic intern.

Dr Dinesh Palipana receives a congratulatory kiss from mother Anne after receiving a job offer from Gold Coast University Hospital. Photo: Jerad Williams.

ABOUT 2.30pm last Friday, Dinesh Palipana finally received the phone call he had been waiting oh-so-long for.

“A lady said ‘We’ve emailed you an offer of employment and you start on Monday’,” the Griffith School of Medicine graduate said of the news that will see him become Queensland Health’s first quadriplegic intern.

“I never expected this process to be easy but I’m extremely relieved and thrilled it’s finally been resolved.”

Dinesh Palipana at his Griffith School of Medicine graduation ceremony. Photo: Mike Batterham

Dr Palipana will today join 90 other interns at orientation at Gold Coast University Hospital and is one of 700 medical graduates Queensland Health expects to employ this year.

However, while his fellow interns were told months ago where they would be working in 2017, the 32-year-old endured an agonisingly long wait to learn if he would be offered a job.

Even after the Bulletin last month reported that he was the only medical graduate in the state yet to receive a job offer, Dr Palipana said he did not receive feedback or updates regarding his application.

As late as Friday afternoon, the man described as potentially one of the best interns to ever graduate from Griffith School of Medicine was contemplating unemployment.

Then, only a few hours after the Bulletin had made further inquiries of Queensland Health, he received that phone call.

Dinesh Palipana became a quadriplegic after having a road accident in 2010. During his time in hospital, he was fortunate to meet legendary boxer Joe Frazier.

“Better late than never, I suppose,” laughed Dr Palipana, who became a quadriplegic when he had a road accident in 2010 midway through his medical degree.

“I haven’t even really got business clothes for my first day. I’ve avoided putting them on my credit card because I was worried that if I didn’t get a job, I’d just be a well-dressed, unemployed man with an unpayable credit card debt.

“I’ve faced plenty of challenges along the way, but the initial shock of the accident really puts things in perspective. Waking up in the ICU and not being able to move is the hardest it has ever been and I always think nothing will ever be as bad as that.”

Under his provisional registration by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority, Dr Palipana and Gold Coast Health must meet 10 conditions that “aim to restrict (his) practice in some way, to protect the public”.

Dr Dinesh Palipana: “I’ve worked really, really hard to make sure I’m skilled to the best of my ability.” Photo: Jerad Williams

These include the extent of his duties being guided by his physical limitations and having him work with other medical practitioners in areas where patients are likely to require life support or urgent resuscitation.

“Whenever I need assistance from a colleague, I’ll be asking for it,” Dr Palipana said.

“I’ve worked really, really hard to make sure I’m skilled to the best of my ability ... and whenever a patient walks in a room, it’s all about them.”

Griffith School of Medicine clinical subdean Professor Harry McConnell said he had no doubt Dr Palipana’s patients would be in good hands.

Griffith School of Medicine’s Professor Harry McConnell with Dinesh Palipana: “He’s one of the best interns we’ll ever produce.” Photo: Mike Batterham

“Nobody who has ever had any dealings with Dinesh would doubt that he is going to be a spectacular intern, one of the best we’ll ever produce,” he said.

A Gold Coast Health spokeswoman confirmed Dr Palipana had been offered a medical internship placement.

“As an organisation that embraces diversity, we are very happy to have been able to provide Dinesh the opportunity to further his career aspirations at our world-class tertiary facilities and we wish him all the best in his studies,” she said.

Originally published as Medical graduate makes history as Queensland’s first quadriplegic intern after job offer from Gold Coast University Hospital