The Australian Islamic Medical Association (AIMA) and the Islamic Medical Association of Queensland (IMAQ) held a joint event named the “Meet & Greet for Junior Doctors and healthcare professionals” on Saturday 30 July in Gold Coast at the Australian International Islamic College Cararra.
The event was open to students and newly graduated practitioners from all health care fields – medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health.
The attendees listened to a diverse group of guest speakers featuring Keynote Speakers Senator Fatima Payman, the newly elected Senator for Western Australia and the country’s first Afghan-Australian Federal Parliamentarian.
Other speakers included Dr Muhammad Kahloon, President of Australian Islamic Medical Association (AIMA), Dr Fatima Ashrafi, President of the Islamic Medical Association of Queensland (IMAQ) and Dr Omer Shareef, Vice-President of IMAQ.
The event was also addressed by upcoming young doctors including Saleha Khan, a final year medical student from Bond University and the current National GPSN Chair of Australia and Mustafa Hamimi, a second year Griffith University dentistry Student.
The event was catered with a filling lunch and the unique chance to get to know our future Muslim colleagues in healthcare. Nearly 80-90 people were in attendance at the event and a huge success at that!
Appreciating the gathering Senator Payman said, “What a fantastic room to be in, just looking around. These are rooms we are going to go to with rooms filled of people with incredible calibre, dedication and discipline, who have dedicated their lives to serve humanity.”
“This is modern Australia, and you should be carrying yourself with pride to not only be proud Muslims, but proud Muslim Australians,” she said.
Dr Kahloon during his address said, “It’s important to know where our Muslims stand within Australia, 60% of Muslims are from overseas, we are the third fastest growing religion in the world. In this year, our employment and economic participation compared to general Australians who have 45.7% in service only 32.5% of Muslims within employable fields. So how can we change this? This is why we are here.”
From Left: Dr Aslam Jabbar, Dr Mohammed Ashraf, Dr Abid Majid, Saleha Khan (Final year Medical Student), Dr. Fatima Ashrafi, Dr. Mohammed Kahloon, Mustafa Hamimi (Second year dentistry student), Omer Hassan (Second year medical student).
Saleha Khan talking about the next generation of doctors in Australia said, “As Muslims within the healthcare professional we can to bring a sense of a community and belonging within this profession, a support system that lies outside our own workplace. We hope to unite and work together to participate in medical projects, community development and raise awareness about impacts on Muslim doctors.”
AIMA and IMAQ are representative organisations that aim to unite and inspire Muslim healthcare and serve humanity. AIMA organisational structure comprises of a central and branches in states and territories of Australia.
Muslim healthcare professionals from the significant proportion of the Australian Health Workforce. Their membership body reflects the diversity of professions, grades, ethnicities and localities within the Muslims workforce.
Left to right: Dr Zarin Yesmin, Senator Fatima Payman, Saleha Khan (Final Year Medical Student).
Dear Sir/Madam,
Can you share the link below of my recent book on “Organ Transplantation in Islam” with these doctors and health care professionals, please?
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/Organ_Transplantation
Thank you.
Jan A. Ali (PhD)