Associate Professor Shabna Rajapaksa awarded at the 2024 Victorian Rural Health Awards

The Department of Rural Health would like to congratulate Associate Professor Shabna Rajapaksa, who has received an Outstanding Contribution By A Mentor Or Supervisor award at the 2024 Victorian Rural Health Awards.

Associate Professor Rajapaksa is a General Paediatrician with an interest in respiratory issues and allergies. She has worked extensively in rural and regional Victoria, notably at Ballarat Health Services, now Grampians Health, where she serves as Co-Head of Paediatrics. She also serves as the co-Sub Dean (Deputy Director of Medical Student Education) at the University of Melbourne’s Rural Clinical School in Ballarat.

Associate Professor & Deputy Director of Medical Student Education (co-subdean), Rural Clinical School ,Shabna Rajapaksa, has received recognition of her dedication and commitment to rural health and medical education.

“As a doctor, you need your work to align with your values. So while the content of the curriculum is the essential foundation of your work, I think it is just as important to reflect on your personal story, what brought you to medicine, and the sort of person you want to be.” Associate Professor Rajapaksa said.

“When we recognise that doctors are human, we must also acknowledge that they can and will make mistakes. While this is always upsetting, it is important to examine honestly how the error occurred and look at how systems can limit risks and support doctors to learn in a safe and supportive environment.”

Associate Professor Rajapaksa is also involved in many Melbourne Medical School activities where she developed a rural career camp with the Goulburn Valley Regional Training Hub for third- and fourth-year medical students.

The aim of the camp was to give students the time and opportunity to partake in workshops to talk about professional identity, internship applications and hear from different clinicians talk about their experiences.

“The career camp was so well received by the students. It’s so important to offer them the space away from their studies to focus on equipping them to be career ready once they graduate.”

Associate Professor Shabna Rajapaksa with University of Melbourne rural medical students and staff at the 2023 Career Camp.

Born in Sri Lanka, then growing up in Wales, Associate Professor Rajapaksa now lives and works as a paediatrician in Ballarat and said she looks forward to continuing to inspire the next generation of rural doctors.

“I love the connection to community and the close interface between the students and the hospital where they have a great understanding of patient stories to help facilitate their healthcare journey.”

“We always need more doctors in the country and I feel very grateful to be teaching a group of such passionate students and I look forward to continuing this teaching journey with them.”

Congratulations to our regional health partners who also received awards:

Shannon Balfour, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative, Mooroopna
Merinda Harrison-Drake OAM, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative, Mooroopna
Nola Andrews, Volunteer Consumer Advocate, Mansfield District Hospital, Mansfield