Gold Coast is getting ready to welcome the country’s biggest medical student conference with a ‘powerhouse lineup’ of speakers set to further cement the destination’s reputation as the place for Australian medical conferences.
Now in its 64th year, the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) National Convention is the largest student-driven conference in the world and is expected to welcome more than 800 medical students from across Australia and New Zealand who will attend to discuss ideas and opinions about medicine and its future.
Held 5-9 July, delegates will get to experience inspiring academic speakers, a dynamic social program and professional networking opportunities all whilst enjoying some of the best experiences the Gold Coast has to offer.
World-class medical practitioners who are investing in the Gold Coast as a global leader in health and medical science, will be speaking to delegates. They include Neuroradiologist Dr Hal Rice, disability advocate and 2021 Queenslander of the Year Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, and Dr Ben Bravery whose survival against colorectal cancer empowered the start of his medical career.
Destination Gold Coast’s head of business events, Selina Sinclair, said 16 per cent of all business events in the medical and health industry in 2021 were held on the Gold Coast, with an average economic impact of $25 million.
“Although this is a valuable short-term boost to our visitor economy, it’s the long-term benefits beyond tourism that increase the overall value of these events,” Sinclair said.
“It’s our world-leading technology, innovation, advanced research, and robust health system that makes the Gold Coast the obvious choice for those studying or working in the health and medical sectors.”
Convenor of Gold Coast AMSA National Convention 2023, Albertine Tran, said the Gold Coast was perfectly placed to host the convention and is excited to share Australia’s favourite playground with students from across the nation.
“It’s been a running joke for decades within medicine that ‘you haven’t been to medical school unless you’ve been to a convention at least once’. So, if you only go once, Gold Coast’s convention is the one you want to go to,” Tran said.
“Gold Coast’s attractive climate, conference spaces, accommodation and desirable location made the city a lucrative choice for our 2023 conference.”
Doctor, lawyer, researcher and BE Connected Gold Coast ambassador ,Dinesh Palipana OAM, said the forum connects some of today’s leading practitioners with tomorrow’s next generation of professionals.
“The theme for 2023 is ‘The Coast is Clear’ which invites delegates to reflect, advocate, and voice their ideas and opinions about the current and future of medicine in an open, safe, and inclusive space,” Palipana said.
“With an undeniable hunger for information sharing across five days, the Gold Coast’s unmistakeable energy promises to ignite, connect, and inspire delegates and I am looking forward to letting them in on the vibrancy we enjoy every single day!”
AMSA is the peak representative body for Australia’s 17,000 medical students, hosting in-person and online events every year to inspire, connect and challenge Australia’s future doctors.
The convention will be hosted by a group of 20 local volunteer medical students from Bond University, Griffith University and the University of Queensland. An additional 50 medical students from all across the country will volunteer their time as subcommittee members to make the event a success.
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