This award celebrates an emerging health professional who shows exceptional promise, leadership and dedication to rural health.
Dr Joshua Briotti – Finalist
Dr Joshua Briotti has shown a strong commitment to rural medicine throughout his early career. Over three years as a Resident Medical Officer at Broome Regional Hospital, he gained broad experience in emergency, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics, completing the ACEM Emergency Medicine Certificate and anaesthetic training immersions. Inspired by GP-anaesthetists, he is pursuing anaesthetics, and is recognised for his sound clinical reasoning and calm approach.
Now an Anaesthetic Registrar at Royal Perth Hospital, Joshua brings a deep understanding of Kimberley communities, providing culturally responsive, patientcentred care. His research on dog-bite and e-scooter trauma has been published internationally and informed local policy. He improved surgical follow-up pathways to support care closer to home.
As an associate lecturer with the University of Notre Dame, he mentors students and promotes rural careers, inspiring future doctors through teaching and community engagement.
Emma Calusinski – Finalist
Since starting her career in Karratha in 2021, physiotherapist Emma Calusinski has become a highly regarded rural generalist, working across musculoskeletal care, chronic disease, Aboriginal health, disability, paediatrics and community capacity-building. She delivers services across Karratha, Wickham and Hedland, including group programs, manual handling training, pre-employment assessments and student mentoring.
Committed to extending local services, Emma has completed advanced training in paediatrics, neurodevelopment, strength and conditioning, and functional neurological disorders. Her greatest impact lies in advocacy and capacity-building: securing grants to upskill early childhood educators, leading parent–infant programs, coordinating early years initiatives and establishing a paediatric working group. She also created the “Strong Bubs” group to support infant motor development and earlier intervention.
Beyond clinical practice, Emma supports local football clubs, strengthening community health and connection.
Rosalie Gent – Winner
In just her second year of practice, speech pathologist Rosalie Gent has shown exceptional leadership, clinical skill and innovation at Full Circle Therapies in the Goldfields.
Facing a critical workforce shortage and a waitlist of more than 160 children, she redesigned service systems and introduced effective triage processes, restoring access, rebuilding trust and prioritising children with the highest needs.
Rosalie manages a complex caseload while supervising allied health assistants and delivering best-practice, family-centred therapy. She has expanded care beyond the clinic, providing school and home-based outreach to reduce travel barriers and improve continuity.
Her work has driven meaningful gains in communication, feeding and development, with families praising her warm, clear and empowering approach, and her impact is seen in children’s everyday participation. Culturally responsive and compassionate, Rosalie is deeply committed to improving outcomes for children and families in rural and remote communities.
Young Professional of the Year is sponsored by Curtin University.