The prestigious Awards celebrate the substantial contributions made by inspiring individuals to the education and support of Junior Medical Officers (JMO) across the NSW Health system.

“Starting your first placement as a JMO has to be one of the most challenging transitions in life,” said Dr Claire Blizard, Medical Director at HETI.

Providing our JMOs with the right training, education and support is essential to their integration into the workforce, their success in these first years, and their ability to provide the best possible patient care,” said Dr Blizard.

“Across the medical community there are many individuals delivering exceptional care, thinking innovatively and providing inspirational leadership in the area of JMO education and wellbeing.

“Through our Awards we honour and recognise a number of impressive health professionals within the NSW Health community making outstanding contributions,” added Dr Blizard.

The three Awards celebrate inspiring individuals and their support of junior doctors: the Geoff Marel Award recognising the work of a supervisor or Director of Prevocational Education and Training; the Judy Muller Award for managers or administrators; and the JMO of the Year Award.

HETI’s Prevocational Training Program oversees the training of JMOs in their first two years, and these Awards recognise outstanding individuals who provide support and help make these early years a success for NSW JMOs and for our health system.

JMO OF THE YEAR – Thomas Goubar

Dr Thomas Goubar is a Resident Medical Officer at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital.

Dr Goubar is the recipient of the prestigious JMO of the Year Award in recognition of his substantial contributions to the education and support of prevocational trainees, significant involvement in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) and his strong advocacy to improve the education, training and wellbeing of JMOs in rural and regional NSW.

He has directed the Australian Rural Training Enterprise (ARTIE) which is a research symposium to provide opportunities for rural and regional JMOs to present their research work.

During his time at MLHD, Dr Goubar has coordinated many educational and wellbeing programs. Dr Goubar was awarded by his peers, as the 2021 Intern of the Year for the MLHD. He is also the JMO Director of ‘AIM Higher’ a program to build health capacity in the MLHD where medical students commencing as AiMs (Assistants in Medicine) received advanced clinical leadership training.

As the current NSW JMO Forum representative for Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, Dr Goubar continues to demonstrate his commitment to advocating for the wellbeing and education of JMOs in rural and regional settings.

Dr Goubar will represent NSW in the Australia and New Zealand Prevocational Medical Education Forum awards, to be announced in November 2022.

GEOFF MAREL AWARD WINNER – Dr Yasmin Ashraff

Dr Yasmin Ashraff is the Director of Prevocational Education and Training and an Emergency Physician at Liverpool Hospital.

Dr Ashraff has been awarded the Geoff Marel Award in recognition for her commitment and passion for implementing education programs, mentoring, and supporting the education, training, and welfare of junior doctors.

She has implemented practical strategies to support JMOs especially during the pandemic and ensuring JMOs are working in a safe and supportive environment.

Dr Ashraff takes an active interest in the careers of the JMOs by providing advice and mentoring. Her dedication to teaching includes implementing innovative programs and advocating for funding for JMOs to attend training courses.

This Geoff Marel Award honours the work of the late Associate Professor Geoff Marel, a long-time contributor to prevocational training, advocate for trainee welfare, and a pioneer known for his vision, creativity, insight and humanity.

Dr Ashraff will represent NSW in the Australia and New Zealand Prevocational Medical Education Forum awards, to be announced in November 2022.

JUDY MULLER AWARD WINNER– Ms Jennifer Sleiman

The Prevocational Training Council, consisting of education, training and medical leaders from across NSW select Award recipients following an open nomination process. A list of previous recipients can be found on the HETI website.

About HETI and our work with Medical Graduates

Together with our health partners, HETI provides education and training support to around 2100 junior doctors in that pivotal space between medical school and employment.

This year 1119 interns will be placed into NSW Health facilities through HETI’s Medical Graduate Recruitment Program. HETI is accredited by the Medical Board of Australia as the intern training accreditation authority for NSW with responsibility for setting quality education standards and overseeing the training of all prevocational trainees in their first two postgraduate years.

HETI also supports the JMO Forum of NSW which provides an opportunity for JMOs to network and share innovations relating to prevocational supervision, education and training, accreditation and welfare, and advise the NSW Prevocational Training Council.

HETI, part of NSW Health, works with health partners to develop education and training that support the NSW Health workforce to deliver world-class health care.