Edwina currently works as the Director of Allied Health (First Nations) with the Allied Health Professions Office of Queensland. This provides her the opportunity to improve and redesign health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“During school I had zero intentions of being a physiotherapist,” Edwina said whimsically.

Her initial impression of physiotherapy was that you needed to be good at science.

“And, I was not very good at science,” Edwina recounts.

After a gap year in London, Edwina began studying a combined Communications/Law degree, but soon realised it wasn’t for her.

“I wanted a career where I was contributing to improving the health and wellbeing of my community,” Edwina said. “I spoke to a few physio students, and they were quick to dismiss my lack of science aptitude concerns!”

So, she changed over to a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) and hasn’t looked back. She enjoyed the balance between the theory and face-to-face elements of the program and loved the practical learning experiences; including a clinical placement in Cambodia and the opportunity to travel to the Northern Territory.

“We got to enjoy clinical placements from our first year,” Edwina said. “The ability to implement what we had learned in real life clinical scenarios was so beneficial.”

After graduating in 2015, she started her career at John Hunter Hospital. Her first few years of work was a steep learning curve as she rotated across five different areas, including a rural rotation in Moree.

“I learnt more than I could have imagined. From the terror of being handed the emergency department pager my first weekend, to experiencing my first ICU Christmas – the learning came thick and fast,” Edwina said.

A proud Palawa Aboriginal woman, Edwina was eager to learn more about how she could use her physiotherapy skills to contribute to improving health outcomes for her people, and keen to experience rural health delivery first-hand.

“It only took a few weeks to realise that 3 months out west was not going to be long enough for me, and I was lucky enough to be able to convince my John Hunter director to let me stay for the rest of the year,” Edwina said.

Her time in the country town of Moree developed her passion for women’s health and she was inspired by what she saw taking place.

“I was inspired by the work being done to improve local health outcomes, but also struck by how much more still needed to be done,” Edwina recalled.

She returned to university to complete her postgraduate studies in public health and soon after began working in women’s health-specific roles.

“My time at the University of Newcastle gave me the strong clinical foundation I needed to commence my physiotherapy career and the personal strengths to embrace the scary opportunities that have led me to where I am today,” Edwina explained.

For those considering studying at university, Edwina offers this advice: “Don’t put pressure on yourself to pick one path and stick to it. We change and we grow the more we learn. Uni is the best place to find out who you are and what you’re passionate about.”

“And if you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student like me, make sure to go and check out the Wollotuka mob – they are the best,” Edwina finished.

Study a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)

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Edwina Powe

Edwina currently works as the Director of Allied Health (First Nations) with the Allied Health Professions Office of Queensland. This provides her the opportunity to improve and redesign health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

My time at the University of Newcastle gave me the strong clinical foundation I needed to commence my physiotherapy career and the personal strengths to embrace the scary opportunities that have led me to where I am today.