WAGPET CEO, Dr Janice Bell, has received an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine from Curtin University.
The honorary award was presented to Janice for her outstanding contribution at state and national levels to the field of General Practice and medical workforce education and training.
Curtin University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Harlene Hayne, praised Janice’s role as the inaugural Chair of the Curtin Medical School external advisory committee, calling her “a tireless advocate for improving the quality of General Practice.”
The award was presented to Janice at the September Graduation Ceremony at Curtin University where she delivered a heartfelt graduation address to the graduands from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Science, and Engineering.
Janice spoke of her own journey of academic pursuits and the value of every career step she has taken.
“There’s a note on my wall that says, ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” she said.
“I think that’s what it means to choose a profession, as each of you has done, to fulfil its requirements, as each of you has done, and to embark on a journey of discovery and growing confidence and expertise, as you do now in your chosen field.”
She reinforced the importance of not doing it alone and to build a support network.
“The good news is we almost never travel alone, not really, even when the path seems awfully lonely,” she said.
“We have companions, mentors and teachers still, beyond this rite of passage, and while we may mourn the loss of some of that support network we had through our studies, there are others emerging even as we speak.
“The best mentors, whatever their purpose in choosing you, are those willing to share their humanity, their fallibility and their desire to be better at whatever they choose to do or be.”
The graduands were left with some parting wisdom.
“Through it all, remember always the final words of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, who never settled for the average or common life but pursued his aspirations and dreams, despite and in fact learning from the setbacks: ‘No limits, Jonathan? His race to learn had just begun’.”