Dr. Dinesh Palipana

Halfway through his studies in medical school, Dr. Dinesh Palipana’s life changed dramatically when he sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia. He went on to become the second person with quadriplegia to graduate from medical school in Australia and the first to become an intern in Queensland. As a result of his experiences as a person with an acquired disability, Dr. Palipana co-founded Doctors with Disabilities Australia to advocate for inclusivity in medicine. The organization provides peer support and resources for doctors and medical students with disabilities.

Dr. Palipana earned a Bachelor of Laws before completing his Doctor of Medicine at Griffith University and an Advanced Clerkship in Radiology at Harvard University. He is a current resident at Gold Coast University Hospital, lecturer at Griffith University, and research fellow at the Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, where he conducts studies revolving around spinal cord injuries.

He also serves as Gold Coast Health’s representative in the Australian Medical Association Queensland’s Council of Doctors in Training, and a scientific committee member of the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation and Ambassador Council at the Hopkins Centre.

Dr. Palipana was named Gold Coast Health’s Junior Doctor of the Year in 2018. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019.