Northern Territory General Practice Education (NTGPE) has recognised GP registrars and supervisors across the Territory after announcing this year’s winners of its Annual Awards.
The awards celebrate the knowledge, capabilities, and commitment of GP training practices, supervisors, and registrars located across the NT, with this year’s winners based in Darwin, Gove, the Tiwi Islands and Katherine.
The 2020 winners are:
Dr Debbie Stach GP Registrar of the Year award – Dr Aly Knell (Katherine) and Dr Maria Vidler (Gove)
GP Supervisor of the Year – Dr Cate Pritchard (Darwin)
Training Post of the Year – Julanimawu (Wurrumiyanga) Primary Health Care Centre (Tiwi Islands)
Despite the traditional in-person awards ceremony cancelled due to COVID-19, NTGPE Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pincus said it was still important to celebrate the award winners in the interest of the NT health workforce and local community.
“It was a difficult decision to cancel the face-to-face NTGPE Awards night this year, but we were still keen to present our award and scholarship winners in a slightly different way via a virtual announcement,” he said.
“We think it is more important than ever to recognise our outstanding registrars, supervisors, and training facilities across the Territory for their demonstrated excellence in practice, education, and community impact.
“I congratulate all the winners on receiving their awards. It is great recognition for their excellent achievements in 2020.”
Dr Aly Knell (Katherine) and Dr Maria Vidler (Gove) were joint winners of the GP Registrar of the Year award, named in honour of Dr Debbie Stach, who died tragically in a car accident in 2004 soon after completing her GP training with NTGPE.
“I was very honoured to receive the award. I’ve always strived to have a high standard in my medical studies and career, so I was over the moon when I heard,” said Dr Knell.
“I hope I can use the award to encourage more people to do rural and remote medicine, or use it to do something positive in the community health wise.”
Dr Cate Pritchard landed the GP Supervisor of the Year gong, and praised her family, including her public health physician husband and their three sons, for their support.
“The award is totally unexpected. I think I received it just for doing what I love,” she said.
Julanimawu (Wurrumiyanga) Primary Health Care Centre in the Tiwi Islands was named the GP Training Post of the Year.
“The clinic has been involved in the training of GPs for a long period of time, providing high-quality training and education over many years, and this recognition is well-deserved,” said Mr Pincus.
Most of this year’s award winners are featured in NTGPE’s Our Community, Our Health campaign, which profiles NT-based GP registrars, supervisors, and medical educators who help contribute to rural and remote health care in the diverse, challenging, and unique training environment of the Territory.
You can read the following stories to find out more about these 2020 award-winners:
Dr Aly Knell (GP Registrar of the Year – Katherine)
Dr Maria Vidler (GP Registrar of the Year – Gove)
Dr Cate Pritchard (GP Supervisor of the Year – Darwin)
To find out more about NTGPE and the awards, visit https://ntgpe.org