Mentorship and Medicine: Orthopaedic Surgeon empowering Townsville’s Healthcare Community through Education

Associate Professor Kaushik (Kosh) Hazratwala is a world-leading orthopaedic surgeon who has dedicated his career to advancing education and training in the medical field.

With over 15 years of experience in Townsville, he has become a cornerstone of both the public and private healthcare sectors, mentoring future generations of healthcare professionals.

As the most senior Orthopaedic Consultant at Townsville University Hospital, Dr Hazratwala’s commitment extends beyond his clinical work. He is the Director of the Queensland Lower Limb Clinic and Co-Director of the Orthopaedic Research Institute of Queensland (ORIQL), where he plays a key role in mentoring medical students and leading Queensland’s only regional Arthroplasty Fellowship.

Driven by a passion for medical education, Dr Hazratwala will leave a legacy of enhanced training and learning opportunities, ensuring that the next generation of surgeons and healthcare professionals are equipped with the skills they need to excel. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine? 

Coming from a less privileged country like Fiji, I have developed a deeper appreciation for healthcare services. I regularly return to Fiji to teach and practice, where the healthcare system is limited to primary care, with no access to tertiary-level medicine. As a surgeon, I am fortunate to be in a position to provide care to patients and give back to the community. Returning to Australia always serves as a reminder of how advanced and efficient the healthcare system is, further enhancing my appreciation for the opportunities available here and it makes me really appreciate this country. 

What motivated you to choose Townsville as the place to establish your career? 

After completing some schooling and training in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, I recognised how insular the networks in those cities could be, where factors like the school one attended had significant influence. I realised that building a career in those environments would take considerable time. Townsville stood out as a place where I felt I could truly make an impact. During my training, I enjoyed my time there, appreciated the kindness of the people, and found my colleagues to be very collaborative. The climate and environment were also similar to Fiji, making it a place I felt comfortable returning to. While it was initially challenging for my wife, coming from Sydney, she has since embraced the town, and our children were born and raised here. With my hospital project underway, Townsville is now home, and I am here to stay. 

What makes Townsville an attractive location for junior doctors to pursue their training?  

Townsville is increasingly becoming a place for doctors to pursue medical research, and we are putting ourselves on the map for it. We are also working to create an environment focused on teaching and learning, where junior doctors are integrated into the team and feel a sense of belonging. In regional areas, the relationships that junior doctors can form with senior staff are often stronger than those in larger cities. With fewer registrars and junior doctors per team, there are more opportunities to develop closer bonds. In contrast to larger city hospitals, where a junior doctor might be one of many, here they work closely with senior staff, fostering better networking and relationship-building opportunities. 

What are some of the challenges facing medical training in non-metropolitan areas? 

 There is an issue with the volume of services in regional areas like ours. The healthcare system is structured in a way that requires a large patient volume to sustain services. The government tends to centralise services, which is why much of the high-end interventional surgery is concentrated in cities like Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Due to this setup, a lot of complex cases are referred out of Townsville because the system doesn’t support treating them locally. While it's possible to run certain training programs, such as those for GPs, from the North, surgical training is more challenging. The primary issue is that the majority of surgical cases in Queensland are directed to Brisbane. Many still hold the belief that for major health issues, one must go to Brisbane. We're working to change this by establishing Townsville as a centre for excellence in research and training, so that doctors feel they can advance their careers here and patients recognise the high quality of care available locally. 

How do you envision your role in bringing about positive change in both the practice and teaching of medicine? 

My goal is to bring about positive change in how medicine is practiced and taught. If I can contribute to improving medical practice, teaching, training, learning and research, I would consider that an achievement. As a surgeon, performing hip and knee replacements is routine, but true progress comes from thinking beyond the ordinary and bringing all stakeholders together for the common good. This applies to both public and private patients. I aim to establish a facility that facilitates this collaboration, ensuring positive outcomes for the community. Ultimately, I want to help create an institution in Townsville that I can proudly say has made a lasting, positive impact on healthcare here. 

What motivated you to get involved in medical training as a JCU Full Academic Title Holder (FATH)? 

 The fact that we have one university, and that JCU has a strong reputation, particularly in biology and marine sciences, was notable. My aim was to establish JCU as a centre for surgical excellence, but it has been challenging. Funding tends to go to Brisbane for surgical courses, and the cadaveric specimens we receive here are not suitable for surgical dissection. Securing funding is difficult, and despite continuous efforts, I haven’t managed to achieve this goal yet. However, the involvement with JCU has been primarily academic—publishing papers, accessing resources, and collaborating with other faculties, such as Sport Sciences, for collaborative work. 

How important is it for universities to actively engage honorary holders in tasks and activities? 

 Instead of holding a title for personal benefit, it's important to give back to the university that supports your position. Being associated with the university adds value, providing credibility when you attend meetings or international symposiums. It works both ways. While many of us are busy with day-to-day responsibilities, if the university approaches me for assistance, I will always help.  

How do you like to spend your spare time when you're able to step away from your professional responsibilities? 

In my spare time, I have a small but close circle of friends, so it is easy to connect with them. In bigger cities like Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, you need to plan ahead, but here, you can meet up with a quick phone call. Typically, after finishing work on Friday night, I go to the gym with friends on Saturday morning, followed by coffee. I spend the afternoon with my family, and there is usually a dinner or some event in the evening. On Sundays, I play golf with my mates, and before you know it, the weekend is over. 

One of the best things about Townsville is that everything is just 5-10 minutes away, making it easy to meet up with people. In bigger cities, distances make it harder to maintain that sense of community. I can call a friend and plan a bike ride or a round of golf, and we will be set to go in minutes. That is something I really enjoy. I have a lot of non-medical friends, and on weekends, I try to limit medical activities to unwind. We often go out for dinner, play golf, go to the gym, or attend local shows at the entertainment centre or Civic Theatre.