Top award for sleep and compassion expert
Tue Dec 08 2015 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Top award for sleep and compassion expert
08 December 2015
Dr Tony Fernando (right) received the NZ Medical Association’s Chair Award. He is pictured here with his mother Esperanza Fernando and Chair of the NZMA, Dr Stephen Child.
Sleep specialist and compassion expert, Dr Tony Fernando was presented with the NZ Medical Association’s highest award recently.
The NZMA presented Dr Fernando from psychological medicine at the University of Auckland with the Chair’s Award that recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the health of New Zealand.
“Dr Fernando has shown great leadership and initiative in focusing a major part of his career on caring for the carer and in living the values of the medical professional,” says NZMA Chair Dr Stephen Child who presented the award.
“His inspirational talks to medical students and many groups around New Zealand have improved the happiness of both patients and carers, and have had an immeasurable positive impact on the health of all New Zealanders,” he says. “The focus of medicine today is being transformed from a disease-centric approach into a preventive, holistic approach that takes into account people’s overall wellbeing. Tony’s work with medical professionals—particularly those in training—is helping this process.”
Dr Fernando trained in medicine in the Philippines, before completing his psychiatry training in New York and the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a consultant psychiatrist in Auckland, a senior lecturer in psychological medicine at the University of Auckland, and also runs a private practice in insomnia medicine.
His research interests include sleep medicine and medical education and he teaches practical meditation techniques to medical students and others, to help manage stress, anxiety and depression.
“It’s a real surprise to be recognized for something that I have enjoyed doing, and that I’m very passionate about,” says Dr Fernando. “I’m very thankful for the recognition by the NZMA, and also very grateful to the Medical School for allowing me to pursue my passion in medical student and doctor's wellbeing. I’m also very grateful for my PhD supervisor Nathan Consedine who guided me to have a scientific and systematic approach in understanding medical compassion.”
Dr Fernando was presented with the award at a ceremony in Wellington that was also attended by his mother Esperanza Fernando and brother Charlie Fernando who flew from Manila to be there.
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