Navy People: Ashraf Saleh
26 July 2010
Toowoomba’s Ashraf Saleh, 33, is already awash with qualifications and now he has another one. He’s just become a Lieutenant in the Navy.
He was already a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, a Bachelor of Nutritional Science and a Bachelor of Medical Science; and if these were not enough, Ashraf is just about to embark on a career with the Royal Australian Navy as a Medical Officer.
Ashraf has just completed his five months of initial training at the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell, on Jervis Bay, NSW. The course gives all new Navy officers the basic qualifications and experience they will need as leaders and managers.
Ashraf covered many different areas of study including leadership training, communication, seamanship and boat work, fire fighting and ship damage control, Navy ships, weapons and technology, fitness training, basic weapons handling and parade and ceremonial.
“I got to try new activities I had never before experienced such as adventure training, combat survivability and leadership training. The camaraderie within the group is memorable,” Ashraf said.
Ashraf completed high school in Sydney in 1993 and after completing his first degree at the University of Sydney moved to Ghana, West Africa. Ashraf returned to Sydney to complete a post graduate degree whilst juggling work as a lab technician. In 2007, he completed his medical degree in Brisbane and just before starting with the Navy, was working in Toowoomba Hospital, Goondiwindi Medical Centre and Oakey’s Cherry Street Medical Centre.
Ashraf is also able to converse in Arabic (his native language), plus Akan, Swahili and Dholuo (Kenya).
“I am looking forward to providing the best health care possible to members of the RAN and to the civilians at places I am deployed to.
“My future role will involve diagnosing, treating and managing medical conditions. It will also involve assessment of the severity and prognosis of medical conditions and if needed, the arrangement of medical evacuations for ill personnel.
“I would like to experience deployments on all RAN exercises and be deployed on operation and assist with humanitarian efforts.
In the years ahead I would like to complete my rural general practice fellowship qualification with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. I am also looking forward to seeing my children grow up,” Ashraf said.
