Queensland medical student and Victorian GP recognised for quality use of medicines

General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) and the Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH) have announced the inaugural winners of the 2026 AMH/GPRA Quality Use of Medicines National Awards.

Launched as part of GPRA’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the awards celebrate excellence in the quality use of medicines in general practice and medical education. 

GPRA President Dr Chris Dickie said the quality use of medicines was fundamental to delivering safe, effective patient care. 

“The awards recognise the importance of building strong clinical decision-making skills throughout the medical training pathway – from medical students through to registrars and newly qualified GPs and Rural Generalists (RGs),” he said. 

“In partnership with the Australian Medicines Handbook, GPRA is proud to support the next generation of GPs and RGs to deliver the highest standards of patient care.”

Noah Varghese, 27, is the recipient of the 2026 AMH/GPRA Quality Use of Medicines in Student Education (Medical) Award, which recognises a medical student who demonstrates outstanding understanding of quality use of medicines in their learning or clinical placement environment. 

The fourth-year University of Queensland medical student said he was honoured and excited to receive the award. 

“For me, quality use of medicines is ultimately about making sure that prescribing is thoughtful and patient-centred,” said Noah. 

“It is not simply about knowing which medication to prescribe, but understanding why it is appropriate for that particular patient and using reliable resources to support those decisions.”

Hailing from Canada, Noah moved to Australia to study medicine and has developed a particular interest in primary care and holistic patient care. 

In his video submission for the awards, he reflected on how the AMH supported his clinical reasoning during a recent general practice placement at a Brisbane clinic. 

“What I particularly valued was that it helped turn each prescribing decision into a learning opportunity,” he said. 

“I hope that sharing my experience might encourage other students to think about how they can use the AMH as part of their own learning and approach to prescribing.”

Dr Dickie said Noah’s video submission stood out as an exceptional example of thoughtful, evidence-based care, demonstrating how the quality use of medicines could make a real difference for patients and communities. 

“Noah highlights how the AMH can be used by medical students from pre-consultation to follow up in dealing with common presentations such as falls and incontinence, supporting safer clinical reasoning and shared decision-making,” said Dr Dickie. 

The student award includes a $2,500 conference stipend and $2,500 cash prize, which Noah said would support him to attend conferences and cover travel expenses as he continues his medical training. 

A Victorian-based rural GP is the winner of the AMH/GPRA Quality Use of Medicines in General Practice Award.

This award recognises a GP/RG registrar or new Fellow who demonstrates exceptional application of quality use of medicines principles to improve patient care, with a prize package totalling $5,000. 

The AMH/GPRA partnership also provides exclusive discounted access to AMH resources for GPRA’s 22,000 members, improving access to trusted clinical decision-support tools during training and early Fellowship. 

AMH CEO David Dart said the partnership reflected a strong alignment in purpose between the two organisations. 

“AMH was founded on the premise of providing concise, practical, reliable comparative drug information to promote the quality use of medicine in Australia,” he said.

“We are proud to partner with GPRA to support the use of our trusted clinical resources in everyday general practice and medical education. 

“This collaboration demonstrates our shared commitment to high-quality clinical education and better patient outcomes across Australia.”

About GPRA: General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is the national independent voice for future GPs in Australia (gpra.org.au). 

About AMH: Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd is an Australian company that publishes concise, easy-to-use, evidence-based medicines information for busy healthcare practitioners (shop.amh.net.au).