Doctor an inspiration
BABINDA Hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Renee Cremen’s passion for her career is palpable.
It ranges from travelling to Tully, Innisfail and Babinda to personally give medical students she is supervising an overview on training in skills like suturing and phlebotomy to organising the Umbrella Ball.
The Cairns-born doctor has been named Rural Doctors Association of Australia’s (RDAA) 2018 Rural Doctor of the Year in recognition of her exceptional commitment to her community and her inspiring approach to teaching the next generation of doctors.
“It’s a real honour to receive this award. I get a lot of joy out of my work and I get a lot of joy out of teaching the medical students who come here on placement,” Dr Cremen said.
Rural medical services director Tjaart Grobelaar said Dr Cremen was a credit to the profession. “Renee has made a lasting difference in Babinda and its surrounding communities, with many patients highly appreciative that she has remained here as a permanent doctor,” he said.
RDAA president Dr Adam Coltzau said Dr Cremen was “an extremely deserving recipient of the award”.
“It is an immense credit to Renee that it was a fourth year James Cook University medical student, Carolyn Reimann, who nominated her for this award, in recognition of Renee’s approach as her supervisor and the exceptional placement she had with Renee,” he said. “Initially, Carolyn was disappointed that she had not received a more remote placement, however she quickly realised what a great supervisor Renee was going to be and how much she was going to learn and experience.”