UWA Bachelor of Biomedicine student Daniel Chiang applied his passion for community impact and his interest in health research during his McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS WA).
Daniel said he was drawn to the internship program because he wanted to make a meaningful contribution to the community while exploring a possible future career in research.
During his internship, Daniel worked across two key projects that supported the organisation’s research and continuous improvement priorities. He redesigned and reorganised the RFDS WA internal Research intranet page to make it clearer, more accessible and easier for staff to navigate—a task he particularly enjoyed as it allowed him to shape how important consistent information is communicated across the service.
Daniel also completed a literature summary exploring hospital triage inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. His work forms a preliminary step toward RFDS WA reviewing and potentially enhancing its triage approach—work that could ultimately improve the quality and cultural safety of care provided to patients across Western Australia.
Reflecting on his experience, Daniel said that the most rewarding part of the internship was contributing to meaningful organisational change, while also having opportunities to see the work of the RFDS and its aircraft up close.
He said the most challenging aspect—sorting through large volumes of literature to find the most relevant and high-quality sources—also became one of the most positive aspects of his learning.
The experience broadened Daniel’s understanding of the healthcare challenges faced by rural and remote communities, strengthening his motivation to pursue a career that supports improved health equity.
“I’ve become more aware of the need for quality healthcare for rural and remote populations. There’s definitely a lot of work needed to improve health outcomes, but the RFDS plays a vital role by providing excellent aeromedical care,” he said.
Daniel said the internship also helped build his confidence and professional readiness.
“It’s helped me develop workplace skills and behaviours, given me insight into topics currently of interest, and helped me learn how research is conducted at an organisational level,” he said.
He credits much of his positive experience to the support of his supervisor, Dr Rochelle Menzies.
“I really enjoyed my time at RFDS under my supervisor, Dr Rochelle Menzies, who has been very supportive and encouraging. She’s had six other McCusker interns before me, and I can see that she really cares about giving us a helpful and informative experience.”
Daniel strongly recommends the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program to other UWA students.
“It’s a really good opportunity to apply your skills in a context that’s not school or university. My internship was certainly enjoyable, and I was able to find out more about research and RFDS’ role in helping the community.”