First-Year Doctors A Welcome Boost To Mackay HHS Workforce

The first of 44 new intern doctors have started their medical careers with Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS).

Twenty interns began their orientation at Mackay Base Hospital last week, with another 24 interns set to commence in the next few weeks to further support and strengthen healthcare delivery across the region.

The interns will rotate through Mackay Base Hospital as well as rural hospitals including Proserpine and Bowen and train under a new statewide intern training framework designed to broaden their clinical skills and build confidence early by combining hospital-based practice with general practice experience. This includes exposure to rural medicine.

Mackay HHS Interim Chief Executive Sean Birgan said 2026 was one of the service’s largest intern intakes in recent years and congratulated the new doctors on starting their journey in medicine.

“It’s exciting to welcome first-year doctors to our team and support them as they begin their career with the Mackay HHS,” Mr Birgan said.

“They’re not only bolstering our workforce and making a real difference to our patients, but they’re building the foundations of medical careers which will serve our regional and rural communities across Queensland for decades to come.

“Regardless of where their careers take them, they will develop strong foundations for the years ahead from the guidance of our experienced, dedicated and highly skilled team of Mackay HHS medical professionals.”

Throughout the year, interns will gain hands-on clinical experience across key specialties including emergency, cardiology, orthopaedics, anaesthetics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, intensive care, mental health, general medicine and general surgery.

Mackay HHS Chief Medical Officer Dr Charles Pain said the interns will benefit from Mackay HHS’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere, its supportive medical culture and their broad exposure to a wide range of clinical cases.

“The interns will gain invaluable clinical experience, which will enable them to develop advanced skills as a foundation for their future medical careers,” Dr Pain said.

“Their diverse placements and experience in the Mackay HHS will also help them make an informed choice when it comes to which speciality they wish to pursue in the future.

“Our hope is that by providing excellent training experiences, they will appreciate our service and value the experience they obtain and choose to build their future careers in the Mackay region.”

Kalaryn Fisher grew up in Sarina and Finch Hatton before choosing to study medicine at James Cook University in Townsville. She has now returned home as an intern at the Mackay Base Hospital.

Her medical career was inspired by time she spent in hospital growing up.

“It’s great to be home and have my family here while I’m an intern; Mackay and other regional centres are in real need of more medical staff so it’s very empowering to come back and be part of the community again.”

Chelsea Martin describes coming to Mackay for two-year her internship as a “full circle” moment.

“I was actually born here in Mackay and grew up on a cane farm at Ingham before I studied at JCU in Townsville,” she said.

Despite being nervous about starting her career, Chelse said she was looking forward to working in a smaller hospital with a smaller team where she can get hands-on experience in regional medicine.

“I love the patient contact I get with medicine – I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”

Seitaro Usuda was born in Japan and did his schooling in Scotland before he began his studies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane.

He has set his sights on becoming a rural generalist and feels the Mackay HHS placed a very strong emphasis on developing the skills of rural doctors.

“As interns we get to rotate through hospitals across the Mackay region like Proserpine and Bowen,” Seitaro said.

“In terms of life outside of medicine, there’s all the beaches and hiking trails as well as the Whitsundays right around the corner, so I’m very happy to be here.”

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2026 interns from left, Kalaryn Fisher, Abdul Rawther, Andrew Song, Chelsea Martin and Seitaro Usuda. Photo supplied

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