A new generation of First Nations students are getting a headstart on careers in healthcare at QEII, thanks to the Deadly Start Program.
It was July 2024 when Joshua (left) and Xavier (right) joined the Allied Health ranks and became QEII’s first ever Deadly Start trainees at just 16 years old.
“This is the first time that we’ve had Deadly Starts trainees with us. We knew the program existed at other facilities but we’d never had it here at QEII, so when the idea came up, we jumped on it,” explained Asst. Director Physiotherapy Linh Ackermann.
“It’s a nice introduction to the workforce and what it’s like to be part of a team and what that takes in terms of communication with the team, coming to work every day and everything else you need to know when you enter the workforce,” she said.
“It’s so important to have First Nations people working in healthcare, so that people feel comfortable coming into hospital and are being cared for in a culturally safe and welcoming environment.”
Joshua made Metro South history when he became the first Deadly Start Speech Pathology trainee for MSH last July, and a whole new world of possibility soon opened up.
“I was nervous at first, but I feel really good now. QEII as a hospital is really warm, and you never feel alone or thrown in the deep end,” Joshua said.
From theory to practise, Joshua embraced the opportunity to get some hands-on Speech experience in the hospital setting.
“Doing Speech has been amazing. There is so much learning that goes into it. It’s not just shadowing someone the whole day and then coming back the next week. It’s giving you hands-on experience to use the skills that you’ve learned – which can be a struggle for a First Nations student, because we often like being in the shadows,” he explained.
“The program is great because it gives an opportunity to those who are ready to step out and take initiative. It puts you in a situation where you can really show that you want to be involved and do things, and it’s creating a pathway to a career.”
Inspired by his passion for sports, Xavier leapt at the opportunity to explore the Physio pathway at QEII.
“I didn’t know what physio was until I started playing sports and I would see them at school to get my ankle strapped or get advice. They told me how fun it is and how many different ways you can go with physio, whether that’s working in a hospital or in schools, starting your own clinic, or working with professional athletes,” Xavier explained.
“My guidance counsellor told me about the different pathways you can take and about the Deadly Start Program, so I decided to try it out.”
Xavier jumped into QEII life in late July, and before long, interest turned into passion.
“The first day I was nervous because I thought I needed to know all the answers. And then it was good because I learned different things and it opened my eyes to how health actually works, and how many different roles and opportunities there are.”
As they settle into their last year of high school, the boys give the program two thumbs up as they look forward to cementing careers in Allied Health.
Special thanks to Linh Ackermann and Speech Pathology Clinical Assistant Tracy Errington for guiding and mentoring the trainees onsite, and to the QEII Allied Health Department for their ongoing support.