JCU: College of Medicine and Dentistry

20/10/2026

🩺 Where could your health career take you next?

From improving clinical teaching to responding to public health emergencies and exploring new approaches to chronic disease, health professionals are continually finding new ways to strengthen their practice and make an impact.

Join JCU's FREE Postgraduate Health Webinar Series this November and explore three areas shaping contemporary healthcare:

🎓 Health Professional Education – Discover practical ways to evaluate your clinical teaching and improve its impact.

🌏 Public Health and Tropical Medicine – Explore careers in public health, disaster health and humanitarian assistance.

❤️ Lifestyle Medicine – Learn how evidence-based lifestyle approaches can support better health outcomes and whole-person care.

Hear from JCU academics, graduates and health professionals, gain practical insights and discover how flexible online postgraduate study can support your next career step.

📅 10, 19 and 24 November

🕕 6.00 – 7.30pm AEST

💻 Online | FREE

👉 Explore the series and register: https://bit.ly/4z8U7og

The 2026 JCU Postgraduate Health Webinar Series is proudly supported by Northern Queensland Regional Training Hubs (NQRTH).

19/10/2026

💊 Where could a career in pharmacy take you?

Our JCU Pharmacy students had the chance to find out at our first-ever Pharmacy Careers Expo!

From community pharmacies and hospitals to the Australian Army, students connected with industry professionals, explored career opportunities and gained valuable insights into the many directions a pharmacy degree can take them.

A huge thank you the Australian Army, Cate's Chemist, Chempro Chemists, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL), The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Priceline Pharmacy, TerryWhite Chemmart, Townsville Hospital and Health Service, and JCUPSA for generously sharing their knowledge, experience and advice with our future pharmacists.

It was a great opportunity for students to make connections and discover what's possible beyond the classroom.

📸 Take a look at some of the highlights from the day!

18/10/2026

🔬 Year 11 and 12 students and parents, have you considered where a passion for science could lead?

There's still time to register for JCU's FREE Biomedical Sciences webinar tomorrow afternoon!

Join our academics online from 4pm to discover JCU's new Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences – Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine, a unique joint degree that can be completed in less than four years.

Find out how this exciting course combines hands-on laboratory training with flexible career pathways in medical science, disease diagnosis, biomedical research and other health professions.

It's a great opportunity for students and parents to learn more about the course, explore future career options and have their questions answered.

🎓 One degree. Multiple career possibilities.

📅 When: Tuesday 20 October 2026

⏰ Time: 4pm – 5pm

💻 Where: Online

👉 Register FREE: https://www.jcu.edu.au/webinars/2026/from-classroom-to-clinical-impact?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0jfxpo7j&fbclid=IwY2xjawU78XRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAWJyaWQRMWp0TmluZW83ZEtodEZjaGZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe9rEd6VxD1vEYJazo-cwiUFlCLSydYkXS1WIr4oXmkMAHAksjJhTlLY1vGk0_aem_coc8hJvRBF6zCPecipEmpg

Your future in biomedical science could start here!

Discover Australia’s Only Biomedical Sciences and Laboratory Medicine Joint Degree

15/10/2026

Recognising the industry partnerships supporting dental education and professional development.

Following the 2026 JCU Dental Impact Symposium, held yesterday at JCU's Nguma-bada Campus in Cairns, we extend our thanks to Minimax Implant & Medical, our Diamond Sponsor, for their support of this year's event.

The symposium provided an opportunity for dental professionals, oral health practitioners, researchers, industry representatives and students to come together, exchange knowledge and strengthen professional connections across the dental sector.

Industry partnerships play an important role in supporting these opportunities and encouraging ongoing learning and collaboration.

For the past 15 years, Minimax Implant & Medical has been a trusted partner to more than 4,000 dental professionals across Australia, providing dental solutions and local technical support.

Through more than 70 hands-on training courses and CPD seminars annually, Minimax also contributes to continuing professional development and the advancement of clinical skills.

We sincerely thank Minimax Implant & Medical for their contribution as Diamond Sponsor of the 2026 JCU Dental Impact Symposium and their ongoing commitment to dental education and professional learning.

15/10/2026

📚 Students unite to revise ahead of exams

Preparing for exams is better together! Fifth-year James Cook University Bachelor of Medicine-Bachelor of Surgery students came together for a dedicated study evening focused on Paediatrics and OBGYN revision, with Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations.

Proudly supported by North Queensland Regional Training Hubs (NQRTH), the student-led event brought together multiple student groups to share knowledge, exchange exam preparation tips and work through challenging areas of new and unfamiliar content.

The evening kicked off with reflections from sixth-year JCU medicine students, who shared practical advice on study techniques, exam preparation and approaching OSCEs, alongside study resources and guidance from lecturers in the respective subjects.

Students then broke into smaller groups, each facilitated by a sixth-year student, to practise OSCE stations in a supportive, collaborative environment.

With new content in both Child and Adolescent Health (CAH) and Reproductive and Neonatal Health (RNH) this year, the evening provided a valuable opportunity for students to learn from one another and strengthen their preparation ahead of exams. 🩺

The event was a collaborative effort between the JCU OBGYN Student Group, SANTE, MINT and other student clubs, showcasing the value of peer support throughout medical training. 👏

14/10/2026

🔬 Love science? Interested in a career in health or medicine?

If you're in Year 11 or 12 and wondering where your interest in biology and science could take you, join JCU's FREE Biomedical Sciences webinar next week!

Discover JCU's new Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences – Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine, a unique joint degree you can complete in less than four years.

🧬 Learn about the science behind diagnosing diseases and treating patients.

🔬 Get hands-on laboratory experience from your first year, with more than 80% of core subjects including practical training.

🏥 Discover career opportunities in medical laboratories, biomedical research, biotechnology and other health-related fields.

🎓 Explore flexible study pathways, including opportunities for further study in medicine and other health professions.

One degree. Multiple career possibilities.

📅 When: Tuesday October 20th, 2026
⏱️ Time: 4pm - 5pm
💻 Where: Online webinar

👉 Register for free: https://www.jcu.edu.au/webinars/2026/from-classroom-to-clinical-impact

Find out where a future in biomedical science could take you!

Discover Australia’s Only Biomedical Sciences and Laboratory Medicine Joint Degree

12/10/2026

It’s been a wonderful week for one of our very own researchers, Dr Chanika Alahakoon. The accomplished researcher travelled to Melbourne to attend the Women of Colour in STEM awards and was the awardee for the "Health Impact” category.

This award recognises a woman of colour whose innovations have significantly improved patient care, treatment methodologies, or healthcare systems.

Originally from Sri Lanka, Dr Alahakoon came to North Queensland to complete a clinical PhD at James Cook University, but her research quickly became an opportunity to improve care for people living with one of Australia’s most serious and overlooked health conditions – diabetes- related foot disease.

Her research also highlighted another concerning finding. Around one in five patients included in her research were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, despite being less than five per cent of the local population.

For Dr Alahakoon, this reinforced the importance of improving access to quality foot care for communities outside major cities.

Today, Dr Alahakoon continues her research designed to improve care for people living in regional, rural and remote Australia.

One project is investigating whether home-based exercise programs, delivered remotely, can help people with Peripheral Artery Disease improve their walking ability without travelling long distances to specialist centres.

For Dr Alahakoon, the goal has always been simple: use research to improve the lives of people who face the greatest barriers to health care. Congratulations Dr Alahakoon, thank you for your dedication to this research!

Find out more about Dr Alahaknoon's research here: https://www.nqrth.edu.au/news/stories-media-releases/a-research-journey-from-sri-lanka-to-north-queensland/

06/10/2026

What's better than living out your medicine dreams in JCU's medicine program and travelling across Northern Queensland for placements? Doing it alongside one of your childhood best friends!

Sianna Green and Bridgette Kay grew up together in the small southern Queensland town of Stanthorpe. After finishing high school, their paths took them to James Cook University, where they both began their journey as first-year medicine students.

Now, almost five years later, their paths have crossed once again, this time in the heart of outback Queensland, where they reconnected while undertaking rural placement in Mount Isa.

The pair shared what they love about rural medicine, their experiences as JCU medical students over the past five years, and their hopes and dreams for life after graduation.

From Stanthorpe to Mount Isa, Sianna and Bridgette’s journey is a wonderful snapshot of where a JCU medicine degree can take you, and the adventures you can have along the way.

👉🩺Read their story and discover what life is really like as a JCU medical student on rural placement: https://www.jcu.edu.au/this-is-uni/health-and-medicine/articles/sianna-and-bridgette-from-stanthorpe-to-jcu-medicine

06/10/2026

We are proud to share a story about Dr Chanika Alahakoon, one of our talented JCU researchers, which has just been published in Partyline👏

For many people living in rural and remote Australia, getting specialist care for diabetes-related foot disease can mean travelling hundreds of kilometres, ofte

29/09/2026

🎧 New NQRTH Round Up Podcast Episode Out Now!
#49: Tonsils, Tinnitus and Vertigo: An ENT Update
👉 https://bit.ly/4hlMsNm

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions are among the most common presentations across primary care and emergency settings. But diagnosing and managing them isn't always straightforward. In this episode of The Round Up, host A/Prof Elissa Hatherly is joined by ENT surgeon Dr Luke Reid to unpack the most common ear, nose and throat conditions seen in regional practice.

From recurrent tonsillitis and childhood sleep-disordered breathing to hearing loss, chronic sinus disease, nosebleeds, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis and vertigo, Dr Reid shares practical insights into recognising these conditions, understanding the underlying causes, and knowing the latest management options.

Whether you're managing common ENT presentations in clinic or looking for an evidence-based update on diagnosis and treatment, this episode offers practical tips you can apply in everyday practice.