MBA Student Profile Desmond Graham

As a specialist geriatrician, I have the privilege of caring for all older Australians aged 65 years and over. It's a very rewarding job, but not without its challenges. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath changed the delivery of healthcare services, and not always for the best.

I am passionate about caring for our community and felt compelled to rethink and reframe the delivery of healthcare services to ensure I could continue to deliver best practice medical care for all older Australians, aged 65 years and over. 

The result was Geriatric Care Australia, created in 2021. The purpose of the business is to deliver free, best practice medical care for all older Australians,  irrespective of location, ethnicity or financial status. This was a bold vision, but one that has come to fruition with the assistance of the Alek Safarian scholarship and my participation in the part-time MBA at the University of Sydney.

The MBA has been fundamental in allowing me to contribute to Geriatric Care Australia's success. As a doctor, I had no formal leadership or business training. However, with the support of the Alek Safarian scholarship, my mentors and cohort, I have gained the requisite business, marketing and leadership skills to make my goal a reality.

Geriatric Care Australia has continued to grow, currently with a national profile, and is going from strength to strength. A cornerstone of the organisation, apart from reviewing patients in the community, is an education program designed to inform those about the concepts of Healthy Ageing. Check out the Healthy Ageing podcast to learn more.

As I approach the final year of my studies, I am excited for what I will learn next. I encourage everyone with the desire to think differently and create positive change to consider an MBA program at Sydney.

The Alek Safarian MBA Scholarship supports emerging leaders in the areas of pharmacy, pharmacology, medicine, nursing or science who demonstrate an interest in the pharmaceutical industry. This scholarship is valued at over $60,000 for up to four years for a student enrolled part-time.