Gold Coast Health is recognised for quality patient care, nursing and midwifery excellence and innovations in professional nursing and midwifery practice under the Magnet® Recognition Program.
"Walking together in kindness" artwork produced for Gold Coast Health by Riki Salam, We are 27 Creative.
Dr Rachel Marr is the first Queensland clinician to become a Fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Forensic Medicine through the formal Royal Australasian College of Pathologists (FFCFM RCPA) training program.
Gold Coast University Hospital is the only Queensland site, and one of the few Australia-wide, accredited by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia for training the FFCFM.
To gain accreditation, Dr Marr completed placements in areas such as death investigation and child protection, and additional training in toxicology to gain the breadth of experience required.
Clinical forensic medicine intersects medicine and the law and requires strong communication skills. Having originally trained as a GP, Dr Marr has thrived at the intersection of these skills. It’s where she has found her passion and calling.
“I’ve always loved the balance between science and communication that this field requires: it’s a creative thinking specialty that’s both challenging and rewarding,” Dr Marr said.
Highlighting her dedication to the field, Dr Marr relocated to the Gold Coast from Victoria to complete the fellowship.
At Gold Coast Health, Dr Marr is part of a small and well-established team focused on this area of healthcare, which centres on living victims of crime and treating people in custody.
“We examine victims of assault, document injuries, take DNA and toxicology samples, and provide expert evidence in court,” Dr Marr said.
“It’s about ensuring justice by providing medical expertise in cases involving living individuals.”
Dr Marr said it was satisfying to have her knowledge and expertise validated with a formal qualification.
“It’s an incredible honour to be recognised in this way. I’m so proud to be part of this field and to contribute to its growth in Queensland,” she said.
“I’m especially grateful to my incredible team at Gold Coast Health and to Dr Cathy Lincoln for her unwavering support and mentorship throughout my journey.”
Dr Marr is now focused on growing the field of clinical forensic medicine in Queensland, helping to train the next generation of specialists and advocating for the recognition of clinical forensic medicine as an official medical specialty in Australia.
Congratulations to Dr Marr on this remarkable achievement and her commitment to advancing this vital field of medicine.
