Dr Jillann Farmer has dedicated over 40 years to the medical profession, earning global respect. Starting her career in leadership during her student years as President of the UQ Union (1986), she went on to work at Medicare Australia, and to serve as Medical Director of the Patient Safety Centre of Queensland Health before becoming Medical Director of the United Nations (2012–2020). There she oversaw significant transformations, managed healthcare for 100,000 personnel and tackled crises like the Syrian chemical weapons crisis, the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the first UN Medical Director and civilian invited to join the NATO committee of Surgeons General.
Returning to Queensland Health as a Deputy Director-General, Dr Farmer established the First Nations Clinical Network and chaired the COVID-19 Response Group. She also worked on the clinical frontlines during the pandemic and continues to serve in rural hospitals.
What inspired you to pursue the career path you eventually chose?
“I think the unifying theme is the great satisfaction I derive from trying to make people or systems better – particularly for the most disadvantaged. I think I was raised to have a strong sense of how lucky I was, and that this, when used well, can make such a difference.”
What’s a UQ memory that shaped who you are today?
“My year as the UQ Union president. It taught me to think differently, to learn differently – gave me an appreciation of all the brilliance that sits outside the Faculty of Medicine, and it opened my eyes to the struggles that some students had with mental health. My advocacy for those students continued on to key elements of my career, when I worked with doctors who were struggling, and extended to be a driver for the development of the UN Mental Health strategy.”
