CITATION
Award for Distinguished Service Medal
Dr Anthony Arklay
Chancellor,
For 33 years Dr Anthony Arklay - Tony - gave outstanding and dedicated service to The University of Queensland.
His was a one-of-a-kind role. As Director of the University Health Service he shouldered the responsibility for the health and well-being of staff and students. A herculean effort given, in 2017, we have more than 51,000 students and 7,000 staff.
Accepting the role of Deputy Director of the service in 1983, Dr Arklay foreshadowed the UQ platform of 'create change' ahead of time, overseeing a restructure of the health service early in his career. He segued seamlessly into the role of Director and has served tirelessly ever since.
His medical qualifications reflect his commitment and service not only to the staff and students of the University, but also to the broader community. He received a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery with Honors, from this very institution, a Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the United Kingdom, earning the same from the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
He accepted the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners qualification in September 2000.
Dr Arklay's medical provision to UQ has seen him administer more diverse, confronting, stressful and traumatic medical cases than those of a small city. His ability to work exceedingly long hours is well-documented, in particular during the lead-up to the 2009 flu pandemic when it was unclear how severely it would impact on Australia and UQ in particular.
Dr Arklay was responsible for obtaining practice accreditation for both the St Lucia and Gatton campuses, improving service delivery significantly and allowing more students access to vital health services.
He has been called upon to administer expert advice on infectious diseases and biosafety, most recently during the 2015 measles outbreak.
Dr Arklay was often the first point of call from organisations seeking advice - both externally and internally of the University, and is well-known as a considerate and approachable leader.
Officially, Dr Arklay ceased being Director of The University Health Service on May 21st this year.
Chancellor, it is my great pleasure to commend to you Dr Anthony Arklay, a very deserving recipient of a Distinguished Service Medal.