WA doctor recognised at AMA national awards

Dr Thomas Drake-Brockman, a rural generalist registrar in the Great Southern, was awarded this year’s AMA Diversity in Medicine Award at the AMA26 national conference in Melbourne.

The award recognises doctors who have made an outstanding contribution to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the medical profession and the broader healthcare system.

Dr Drake-Brockman said they were grateful for the recognition, and for their colleagues and fellow advocates who were working to ensure healthcare in Australia is safe and welcoming for everybody.

“We know that parts of our community and our profession face historical and ongoing discrimination in healthcare settings," they said.

“This includes women, LGBTQIA+ people, First Nations peoples, people from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds, and migrants.

“I have been advocating for inclusion since I was a student doctor. At UWA I was one of the inaugural Queer Chairs in our student society,” they told Medical Forum.

“I was probably the first student in my cohort to start wearing scrubs to placement - a fashion statement that not everybody supported, but would become wildly popular when COVID arrived not much later.

“I also began the work that led to UWA having official student doctor uniform scrubs.”

As a junior doctor Dr Drake-Brockman became involved with the AMA and took some time away from the hospital to work at Transfolk WA in queer health policy. They are now the Chair of Transfolk WA and have contributed towards state and federal policy.

Alongside their rural generalist training, Dr Drake-Brockman has held a range of leadership and advocacy roles, including as AMA (WA) Doctors in Training Co-Chair where they championed issues affecting women doctors, parents, international medical graduates, doctors with disability, and LGBTQIASB+ doctors and patients.

They are President of the Rural Doctors Association of WA and a Director of Pride WA.

Dr Drake-Brockman has also helped shape national and state policy on LGBTIQA+ health and inclusion through advisory roles with the Australian and Western Australian governments.

They have used those leadership roles to make a positive change and work towards creating a profession that is more inclusive, equitable and responsive to the needs of both doctors and patients from diverse backgrounds.

“At the AMA25 I proposed a motion to recognise the human rights of people with innate variations of sex characteristics (intersex people) as well as historical and ongoing harms. I was delighted that the motion received unanimous support from the conference," they said.

“As a person who understands minority status, I am pleased for the opportunity to deliver care for both my communities, and other disadvantaged or minority communities. I think that my minority experience is very instructive in developing compassion and understanding for the experiences of others.

“I really enjoy the opportunity to provide gender affirming care to my rural and regional community in WA's Great Southern region. Patients often have a lot of anxiety about seeking care or sometimes feel that they will need to go to Perth to receive care. Being able to reassure them that their needs can be addressed much closer to home is a great feeling.

“When you provide inclusive care, patients are far more able to share their needs and concerns with you, and as a doctor that means it's much easier to help.

“I think every doctor, ultimately, just wants to help. Being inclusive and providing a safe space for patients means that I can do a better job for my patients, and achieve better outcomes, which is immensely satisfying.”

AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said Dr Drake-Brockman has demonstrated sustained leadership across medicine, policy development, education and clinical care.

“Dr Drake-Brockman has made a significant contribution to improving inclusion in medicine through practical action and principled advocacy,” Dr McMullen said. 

“They have been a tireless advocate for a medical profession that values and supports people from all backgrounds, and for a healthcare system that delivers safe and respectful care for everyone. 

“Through their leadership, policy work and clinical practice, they have helped ensure the voices and experiences of diverse communities are heard and reflected across the profession.”