JCU Medical School student receives award for research

27 June 2016

Sixth-year JCU Medical School student Chloe McKenna has been awarded Best Research Paper Prize at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 2016 Annual Scientific Congress in the specialty program of Rural Surgery.
Chloe’s presentation, Quality of life outcome comparisons examining sacral nerve stimulation and biofeedback as management of faecal incontinence, was based on her honours research.

 JCU med student receives award for research
Chloe has received the award for best research (Photo credit: JCU)

Chloe said presenting was a great experience, but she never expected to win.
“It was great being able to share my preliminary findings with other clinicians,” she said. “Winning was a huge surprise.”
Being from a dietetics background, Chloe’s research stemmed from her interest in gastrointestinal issues.
Chloe said faecal incontinence was much more prevalent than people thought.
“In north and far north Queensland 12.8 per cent of people experience faecal incontinence,” Chloe said.
“It is non-discriminatory and can affect people of any age.
“This research looks at two different ways faecal incontinence is treated and will hopefully help us conclude which one delivers better outcomes for patients.”
Chloe, who completed her PhD through the College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, said she was grateful to her supervisors, including James Cook University‘s Professor and Townsville Hospital Head of Surgery Yik-Hong Ho, for their support.
Chloe is also hoping to also submit her research at this year’s Townsville Health Research Week symposium.
“I am hopeful that the research will have reached some conclusions by September and we will be able to share them at Research Week,” she said.

About the JCU medical program

JCU Medical School offers an undergraduate-entry medical program that specializes in rural, remote and indigenous medicine and is located in north Queensland, Australia. Rather than having to earn a bachelor degree first, undergraduate-entry medical programs allow students to enter directly from high school. If you have completed high school studies or would like to apply to a medical school in Australia without using your MCAT score, you may wish to learn more about undergraduate-entry medical programs offered by Australian universities.
Program: Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery
Location: Townsville, Queensland
Semester intake: February
Duration: 6 years
Application deadline: August 30, 2016
Entry requirements
Entry into the JCU Medical School medical program is directly from high school. Students may also transfer into the program during their undergraduate degree or at the completion of their undergraduate degree.

  • Entry is directly from high school. Students may also transfer into the program during their undergraduate degree or at the completion of their undergraduate degree.
  • High school cumulative average necessary to be considered is a minimum of 85% in Grade 12 subjects, including prerequisite subject grades.
  • If you are applying to the program after you have partially or fully completed your post-secondary studies, you should have a Canadian GPA of 80% cumulative average across all university studies, but to have a competitive application, applicants should have achieved at least an 82% cumulative average.
  • Interview: held in-person and via video conference

Apply now to James Cook University Medical School!

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Would you like more information about JCU Medical School and the MBBS program? Contact OzTREKK’s Australian Medical Schools Officer Courtney Frank at courtney@oztrekk.com.

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