Bethesda CEO honoured for 'profound impact'

Bethesda Health Care CEO Dr Neale Fong has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Medicine from Western Australia's Curtin University.

Dr Fong, who was instrumental in establishing Curtin's medical school, said it was "nice to be recognised".

"I was very honoured," he said.

"Back in 2009, I was approached to write the feasibility study for another medical school.

"The university council approved that, and I was then the project director. It was six years before we got the final approval.

"Western Australia had, at that time, the lowest per capita rate of medical students in the country. We had a chronic shortage of doctors – and to a certain extent we still do.

"We really had to fight to prove that we needed another medical school, we needed to be producing more doctors locally.

"Australia recruits heavily from overseas – we're not directly stealing doctors from developing countries but often doctors from developing countries go to work in the UK or Ireland, and we then recruit them from there.

"But we're not self-sustaining when it comes to the model for medical students."

Dr Fong said he was proud of the progress being made by the university's medical school.

"Curtin is now graduating 120 medical students each year," he said.

"I really want to thank the team we put together at the time to make this happen."

Bethesda CEO Dr Neale Fong receives his honorary doctorate from Curtin University

Dr Fong has been CEO at Bethesda since 2020, after more than a decade serving as its Executive Chairman, and he is a board member at the Australian Private Hospitals Association.

He has also held many significant public service roles, in health and sport – including his role as the chairman and commissioner of the Western Australia Football Commission from 2000-2011.

Curtin University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Harlene Hayne, said honorary doctorates were presented to people who had gone above and beyond in their field and made an exceptional contribution to society.

"Dr Fong has had a profound impact on Curtin University," Prof Hayne said.

"He led the feasibility study and project management for the establishment of the Curtin Medical School which, thanks to his grit, determination and phenomenal networking capability, saw Curtin being granted Federal Government approval for a third medical school in WA.

"He has since been appointed Adjunct Professor of Healthcare Leadership and is a passionate advocate, believing the Curtin Medical School is ensuring the future prosperity of the medical workforce in WA and the regions."

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