UQ graduate awarded prestigious scholarship to Harvard

15 Jun 2016
Dr Nick Gattas

Alumnus Dr Nick Gattas (Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, ‘13) has been awarded the prestigious RG Menzies Scholarship to Harvard University for 2016. Having graduated from UQ as valedictorian and dux, and completing a Graduate Certificate in Executive Leadership from UQ Business School Executive Education, Dr Gattas has a proven track record as an accomplished student with ambition to create far-reaching change.

Valued at more than $80,000, the scholarship is Australia's most prestigious national award for postgraduate study in the United States, and is awarded to at least one talented Australian student per year, who has gained admission to a Harvard graduate school. It is awarded by the Harvard Club of Australia, The Menzies Foundation, and The Australian National University.

Dr Gattas says a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Harvard Business School would complement his medical degree.

“I intend to use the MBA to enter a leadership role where I can directly change the model of care for patients with chronic disease, with a greater focus on data-enabled prevention, telehealth, and innovative funding models,” he says.

Dr Gattas plans to open a private hospital as a prototype for all hospitals in Australia, utilising the latest technology in the prediction and treatment of chronic illnesses. Once the model of care is developed it could then be expanded across Australia.

“The challenge facing all health systems is providing healthcare to an ageing population burdened by chronic disease, in a world where more funding is simply not sustainable. How can we consistently provide high-quality care to those who need it, using the few resources we have available?” he asks.

Well versed in collaborative study, Dr Gattas helped establish a research partnership, while at UQ, between Leeds General Infirmary and Imperial College London to create Europe’s leading research unit in paediatric robotic surgery.

He also interned at UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research on the genetic profiling of breast cancer, and taught anatomy and pharmacology in the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr Gattas is currently an Associate in the Sydney office of McKinsey & Company, where he has advised health systems in Victoria and South Australia, improving clinical operations, and has worked on funding models for diabetes care.

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