23 medical professions under 30 from Toowoomba, Warwick, Cherbourg and Goondiwindi inspiring tomorrow’s leaders

From Cherbourg, Toowoomba, Warwick to Goondiwindi, these young medical professionals are inspiring the next generation on how they can follow their dreams and support your fellow local. See our full list here.

In the past two years, there has been greater acknowledgment of our medical professionals and what they sacrifice for the community.

Particularly in regional and rural areas across southern Queensland, these people can wear numerous medical hats depending what is required at the time.

The Chronicle has heard stories from 23 professionals 30 years and under about how they are helping the district, how they fell into the medical field, and what their hopes are for the future.

Eranga Maligaspe Koralage

Eranga Maligaspe Koralage has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

Growing up in Sri Lanka, Eranga Maligaspe Koralage always held an interest in the health care unit, and after migrating to Australia after high school, enrolled to study nursing.

The unprecedented outbreak of Covid-19 provided Ms Koralage with a unique opportunity to work further within the Darling Downs as a registered nurse.

During 2021, Ms Koralage assisted with the vaccine roll out, working in regional areas such as Goondiwindi and Chinchilla. An opportunity to join the Darling Downs Public Health Unit team arose, and Ms Koralage knew she needed to jump at the new chance to grow and challenge herself in a new division.

She has greatly appreciated the support of her colleagues and senior nurses, and said her eyes are to the future with further developing her skills and knowledge in communicable disease management within the community.

Ms Koralage said further studies were also likely into the future, now that she has relocated from Brisbane to Toowoomba.

Fraser McBean

Dr Fraser McBean.

At 27 years old, North Queensland-born Fraser McBean has recently moved to Goondiwindi with his partner to take on a role at the Goondiwindi Hospital in emergency, anaesthetics and at Goondiwindi Medical Centre.

In between working on his 1925 Queenslander, Dr McBean is five years out of university and in his final 12 months of specialist training to be a country GP.

The dream of being a rural doctor has been a goal for as long as Dr McBean can remember, having grown up in a small cane farming town, and understanding how important it is that rural Australians have the same access to healthcare as those in metro areas.

His day-to-day work life can change on a dime, from dealing with a heart attack, to looking after a sick child at the GP practice, to putting an epidural in for a lady in labour, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

In an immensely rewarding job, Dr McBean said he hopes country towns like Goondiwindi continue to thrive, with more health professionals choosing to go bush to help locals feel empowered to stay in town with their families.

Taylor Hansen

While undertaking work experience at a radiology clinic, Taylor Hansen discovered she had a keen interest in ultrasound and the medical industry.

Now one-year post grad, Ms Hansen works as a sonographer at the Toowoomba Hospital, where she has the opportunity to put her skills to work and continue to grow in her career.

“I have always been interested in how the human body works and functions, but I was drawn to this field as it has a unique view of the human body,” she said.

While she was Toowoomba-born and raised, Ms Hansen has had the chance to explore the country and eventually settle back into the Darling Downs, where she is excited to see where her career takes her.

Taylor Hansen.

Teegan Henry.

Teegan Henry

A Toowoomba local, Teegan Henry knew she alway wanted to work in health care, and after completing work experience at a medical imaging company, set her eyes on a radiographer career.

Fresh out of university, Ms Henry works at the Toowoomba Hospital in the medical imaging department, where she loves how diverse her work can be.

“I enjoy working with a variety of different patients across the hospital, providing different types of medical imaging including X-rays, CT scans and theatre imaging,” she said.

Though she studied in Mackay, Ms Henry said she enjoyed being back in the Darling Downs, and hopes to continue working in radiography into the future, continually learning and improving to ensure patients have the best experience during their imaging services.

Brianna Park

Brianna Park has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

For several years after high school, Brianna Park was unsure what she would pursue career wise.

After trying different professions, including interior design and wedding decorations, a career counsellor suggested she look into social work.

Before Ms Park knew it, she had graduated from a degree and was now working in Cherbourg as part of the Darling Downs Health Indigenous team with the STaY Program.

“At the time, I hadn’t heard of Social Work before, however I spent time reading the course

content and discovered quickly that this field of work is where I was supposed to be,” she said.

With a strong passion for human rights, social justice and equality, Ms Park has worked in the South Burnett for almost three years as part of the Sit, Talk and Yarn program.

Into the future, Ms Park hopes to have a long and fulfilling career in social work, focusing strongly on youth mental health.

Emma-Lea Herridge

At just 20 years old, Emma-Lea Herridge is working as a Trainee Indigenous Health worker, where she helps to support and advocate for the Indigenous people around the Toowoomba region.

Ms Herridge dedicated her time to Boomagam Caring at Toowoomba Hospital, which focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women throughout their pregnancies, and can involve getting out into the community and working with mums and their babies.

A Harristown State High School class of 2020 graduate, Ms Herridge wanted to find a career she was passionate about and that would challenge herself with something new and different.

Though she is still early in her career, Ms Herridge is at the end of her Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Practice, where once finished, she will aim for an Indigenous Health Practitioner role.

Emma-Lea Herridge.

Jessica Milward.

Jessica Milward

A proud Waka Waka woman, Jessica Milward has chosen a career path within the medical industry, where she is currently a trainee health worker with Darling Downs Health.

In the process of completing her Certificate IV in Mental Health, Ms Milward, 21, said she knew instantly she wanted to focus on the field after completing an induction into different areas around Toowoomba Hospital.

It is incredibly important for her to hear people’s stories and support them culturally through their journey.

One day, Ms Milward hopes to become a paramedic, so she can be one of the first people on scene to help others to the best of her ability.

Natasha Hamilton

Natasha Hamilton has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

A proud Wemba Wemba and Macedonia woman originally from Victoria, Natasha Hamilton has relocated to Toowoomba to be a Health Equity Project Officer with the Indigenous Health team of Darling Downs Health.

However, within the next month, she will be a qualified social worker.

Ms Hamilton has more than five years’ experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in a number of different roles, such as paralegal, community engagement and project and case management.

According to Ms Hamilton, her chosen field signs strongly with her personal values and beliefs, and she hopes into the future, she will see equity across all socio-economic domains.

“Achieving equity across all socio-economic areas in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is important to me,” she said.

“In order to achieve this, I believe we need people like myself who are willing to challenge

existing systems and structures.

“This role has placed me in a unique position where I am able to influence the socio-economic determinants of health through meaningful partnerships and genuine collaboration with community.”

Kirsty Thomae

Ochre Medical Centre Wyalla nursing student Kirsty Thomae, who is set to shortly complete her studies, spent multiple weeks at the practice assisting patients.

The USQ student aspires to be a psychiatric nurse, and will shortly be a qualified registered nurse in the region.

Practice manager Liz Cass said Ms Thomae was a special member of the team who was always willing to help patients and staff.

Kirsty Thomae.

Dr Jessie Stirling.

Dr Jessie Stirling

Dr Jessie Stirling is currently completing a 10-week stint at the Ochre Medical Centre Wyalla as a GP intern with Prevocational Medical Accreditation Queensland.

According to practice manager Liz Cass, he's bound to make an amazing GP as the patients and staff love him.

“He is extremely easy to work with and nothing is a hassle,” she said.

Sabrina Baratta

Medical Receptionist Sabrina Baratta has worked at the Ochre medical Centre Wyalla for a year and is currently studying an associate degree of business with UniSQ.

Once completed, she hopes to stay within the medical industry and help patients and staff where needed.

Ms Baratta goes above and beyond to help others, and is always seen with a cheerful smile and friendly attitude.

“She is worth her weight in gold … and is a valued part of the Ochre team,” practice manager Liz Cass said.

Sabrina Baratta.

Dr Eleanor Forster.

Dr Eleanor Forster

GP Registrar with General Practice Training Queensland, Dr Eleanor Forster has worked at the Ochre Medical Centre Wyalla for almost a year.

During that time, she has established herself as a very thorough doctor, who always follows up with patients when needed, while being a very caring, empathetic and motivated-to-learn professional.

Going into 2023, Dr Forster will work twice a week at both the Wyalla and Kingsthorpe Ochre centres.

Toleah Bish

Toleah Bish has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

With more than 10 years in the health and fitness industry, Toleah Bish has spent the last six years working as an Exercise Physiologist.

Working with people was always something Ms Bish wanted to do, and the added challenge of understanding complex medical conditions and needing to think and act quickly drew her to the career.

During her university years, which is still ongoing as she now works towards a graduate certificate in Clinical Rehabilitation, she worked as a group fitness instructor, and loved to focus her field on treating complex cases, women’s health and neurological rehabilitation.

“Passion is to help ordinary people live their best life through improving their physical function,” she said.

Ms Bish is currently working at Up and Active Physiotherapy.

Jessica Costello

As a young swimmer and dancer, Jessica Costello was no stranger to the physiotherapist and discovered an early passion for health care.

In 2019, Ms Costello graduated from the Australian Catholic University where she was now a qualified physiotherapist, with a special interest in neurological rehabilitation and lower limb injuries.

During her tertiary education, she worked as a sports trainer for multiple sporting teams in Brisbane and completed placements at several hospitals before moving back to Toowoomba.

In 2020, she treated the Toowoomba Bears Rugby Union teams as their dedicated physiotherapist, which she did all the way to winning the Risdon Cup.

Now, Ms Costello, 25, works for Up and Active Physiotherapy, and wants to lead by example for her patients by living a healthy and well balanced lifestyle.

Jessica Costello.

Tom Vinson.

Tom Vinson

Twenty-nine year old Tom Vinson was a self-proclaimed sports nut as a child, and knew he wanted to work in an industry that would allow him to continue to be involved with sports.

As someone who had two ACL repairs himself, Mr Vinson is passionate about treating knees, shoulders, and working with people post-orthopaedic surgery.

Mr Vinson has helped multiple sports teams, including one that recently competed at the Australian Rugby Shield.

Originally a Charters Towers resident, Mr Vinson has lived in Toowoomba for three years, and currently works at Up and Active Physiology, while his wife works as a nurse at the Toowoomba Hospital.

“I love encouraging exercise both as part of a structured way of helping your particular injury but also as a general way of keeping our body both mentally and physically happier,” he said.

“You’d be surprised what starting with a small amount of exercise can do for you.”

Martin Bryan

A senior biomechanical podiatrist with Optimise Health, Martin Bryan found his passion through his out podiatric journey.

Multiple lower-limb sporting injuries resulted in Mr Bryan intrigued by the career and graduating top of his class.

Over his career, Mr Bryan has been awarded the Philip Vasyli orthoses excellence award and become a well rounded and respected podiatrist in his field who goes the extra mile for his patients and colleagues.

Martin Bryan.

David Coates.

David Coates

A newly-graduated podiatrist, David Coates has already built a reputation for himself around his caring nature, his skills and his attitude to finding a solution for his patients.

Based at Optimise Health, patients adore Mr Coates and love that he is now part of the Toowoomba team.

Emily Lowe

Known as the office’s little power rocket, Emily Lowe works as a physiotherapist with Toowoomba’s Optimise Health.

Ms Lowe is continually upskilling her knowledge to ensure she is up to date with the latest treatment protocols and pain management for her clients.

Aside from working in the practice, Ms Lowe is also involved within the community, where she runs clubs, instructs reformer pilates classes, and is even a place getter in Triathlons.

Emily Lowe.

Lauren Steele.

Lauren Steele

A bright and bubbly physiotherapist, Lauren Steel brings happiness and joy to everyone around her.

Her passion for physiotherapy lies in injury management and prevention especially for athletes.

With an empathetic and understanding approach to treatment, Ms Steele is beloved by her patients and Optimise Health colleagues, as she is able to pull from her own journey recovering from injuries.

Ms Steele tries to lead by example for her patients, and can be frequently seen at the gym, going for a swim, or spending quality time with her loved ones.

Suneek Sukhnundan

Podiatrist Suneek Sukhnundan is the Optimise Health clinic’s ray of sunshine, as she lights up every room she’s in.

With a key attention to detail, mixed with a gentle and kind nature, Ms Sukhnundan is beloved by her clients.

Her passion falls into providing high quality care, however she also has a special interest in high risk, diabetic patients and wound/ulcer management.

Suneek Sukhnundan.

Daniel Lau.

Daniel Lau

Podiatrist Daniel Lau works between the Toowoomba and Warwick Optimise Health clinics, where he works hard to ensure all residents receive the highest quality of care available.

Mr Lau is bilingual and can also assist residents who speak mandarin. He is a valued member of both clinics, and in his spare time, enjoys travelling, spending time with family and reading content on reddit.

Kate Merrin has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

Abby Ussher has been named as one of the amazing medical professionals within the Darling Downs Health section.

Kate Merrin

After graduating from university in Adelaide, Kate Merrin has worked as an optometrist in the Garden City after previously completing placement hours at the clinic.

In 2021, Ms Merrin made the move to Toowoomba to work with Somerville & Merrin Optometrists, where she has hit the ground running, including doing home and nursing home visits.

She is currently in training to become a behavioural optometrist, and has taken an interest in speciality contact lenses.

Abby Ussher

After completing a Master of Optometry with QUT in 2018, Abby Ussher began her career as a therapeutically trained Optometrist at Neilson Eyecare.

With a keen interest in children’s vision, eye disease management and helping her patients to find relief from dry-eye conditions, Ms Ussher is proud to be given the opportunity to help Toowoomba residents.

Ms Ussher has spoken at conventions and co-written articles about her main point of focus, which is her preventive approach to eye care and practising Myopia Control – the practice of trying to prevent or slow down short-sightedness in children.

Recently, Ms Ussher was a finalist for the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Focus HR Business Excellence Awards 2022 for the Future leader of the Year award