Wed 18 February 2026
First pharmacist completes WACHS Resident Training Program in regional WA
The Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS) has celebrated a major milestone, with Kane Suchenia becoming the first pharmacist to both commence and complete the AdPha Resident Training Program within WACHS.
Based at Broome Health Service in the Kimberley region, Kane completed the program in November 2025, marking an important step in building pharmacist workforce capability across regional and remote Western Australia.
WACHS Staff Development Pharmacist and Training Program Lead Melanie Utting said Kane’s achievement reflected both personal dedication and the value of structured early career training in regional settings.
“I’m thrilled to celebrate Kane as the first pharmacist to commence and complete the Resident Training Program within WA Country Health Service,” Ms Utting said.
“Based in the far north Kimberley region at Broome Health Service, Kane has shown resilience, dedication and an adventurous spirit throughout his journey.
“It’s been a pleasure to witness his professional and personal growth as he embraced every opportunity to learn from the diverse expertise in the team, while also exploring the wonders of the Kimberley.
“The structured support of the AdPha Resident Training Program has played a key role in Kane’s development, and I’m confident this experience will serve him well in his future career.
“Congratulations Kane — you’ve set a fantastic example for others to follow.”
Reflecting on his experience, Kane said Broome offered an ideal environment for early career pharmacists.
“Broome Hospital is a great size for an early career pharmacist,” he said.
“It’s big enough to experience a wide range of disease states and specialty areas, while also being small enough that you know most people working there in a short amount of time. I learned a lot and made great friends along the way.”
He added that working in the Kimberley also provided opportunities outside the hospital.
“It’s also a great launchpad to explore the Kimberley - the country out here is beautiful,” he said.
Kane said one of the most valuable parts of the Resident Training Program was exposure to different clinical approaches and mentors.
“My favourite part was learning from all the different experienced pharmacists, either on site or through the WACHS Central team,” he said.
“Everyone has different approaches to problems which really helped me develop problem solving skills. The residency program helped facilitate this and encouraged me to find what works best for me.”
Since completing the program, Kane has remained in the Kimberley, joining Kimberley Pharmacy Services, which supports Aboriginal Medical Services and communities across the region.
“It’s not your average community pharmacy,” he said.
“They work closely with Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley, so it’s a nice mix of logistics and clinical work.
“I’m also completing Medication Management Review accreditation and will be doing some vaccinating as well. I’m really enjoying seeing the community aspect of pharmacy and have come to appreciate how important this sector is in keeping people healthy.”
Kane’s journey highlights how structured training programs, combined with regional and remote practice opportunities, can support pharmacists to build strong clinical skills while contributing meaningfully to community healthcare delivery.