Dinesh Palipana

Dinesh Palipana (born 1984) is an Australian doctor, legal professional and disability advocate. He is the first quadriplegic medical intern in the state of Queensland, Australia.^[1][2][3][4] He is the second person with quadriplegia to graduate as a doctor in Australia, the first with spinal cord injury.^[5]

Palipana has been an advocate for medical students with disabilities in Australia, where significant barriers exist.^[6][7]

Career

Dinesh Palipana obtained a degree in law from the Queensland University of Technology.^[8] He then commenced a Doctor of Medicine at the Griffith University, graduating in 2016 as the first quadriplegic medical graduate in the state of Queensland, the second in Australia. He graduated with several awards^[9] and was featured in the Griffith University video Dinesh Palipana is remarkable.^[10] He completed a medical clerkship at Harvard Medical School.^[11]

Following a spinal cord injury, Palipana found adapted ways to be trained as a quadriplegic doctor in partnership with Griffith University and the Gold Coast University Hospital.^[12] This was a previously unaccomplished feat in Queensland. He has consequently openly advocated for training medical students with disabilities in Australia.^[13]

Despite spending two years in clinical training as a medical student at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Palipana faced challenges in securing initial employment in his home state of Queensland under Queensland Health.^[14][15] At one point, he was the only Queensland medical graduate without an employment offer for the year 2016 despite testaments to his ability.^[16]

He was eventually employed by the Gold Coast University Hospital to become Queensland's first quadriplegic intern.^[17]

With an interest in radiology,^[18] he is a contributor on Radiopaedia, a radiology education portal designed for medical professionals.^[19]

Injury

During medical school, Palipana was involved in a car accident causing a spinal cord injury and quadriplegia.^[20] The 2010 motor vehicle accident occurred on Brisbane's Gateway Motorway. A physician attending the accident scene with emergency services had taught Palipana during medical school.^[21]

Palipana subsequently spent seven months at a spinal injuries unit in the Princess Alexandra Hospital.^[22][23] He met the boxer Joe Frazier during his admission in hospital.^[24]

Advocacy

While recuperating from his injury, Palipana spent some time in Sri Lanka.^[25] During that time, he was noted for raising awareness^[26] and funding^[27] for spinal cord injury in the country. In 2013, he gifted a stock of medical supplies for spinal cord injury to the now President Maithripala Sirisena.^[28] Palipana sits on the council of the Sri Lanka Spinal Cord Network.^[29]

In 2015, the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand issued a set of guidelines providing Australian medical schools the power to exclude students with a range of disabilities.^[30] The guidelines can potentially be used exclude medical students with similar conditions to Palipana. By using his story as an example, Palipana has been a vocal advocate for taking an inclusive approach to medical education in the country instead.^[31][32][33]

Research

Palipana has interests in spinal cord injury research.^[34][35] He attributes this passion to his own injury.

Palipana's interest includes non-invasive interventions to promote functional improvement in spinal cord injury. He has been encouraged by a mentor at Harvard University, where he was one of the first visiting medical students of this nature.^[36]

Palipana also has research interests in radiology.^[37]

Personal life

Palipana was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka to Chithrani and Sanath Palipana. He grew up in Byron Bay and Brisbane, Australia.^[38] Palipana attributes much of his success to the support of his mother.^[39][40]

Palipana's story was featured on the popular ABC radio show Conversations with Richard Fidler.^[41]

References