PSA’s 2026 Faye McMillan Conference Grant recipients reflect during NAIDOC Week.
NAIDOC Week presents an opportunity to honour enduring strength, depth of knowledge and the rich tapestry of culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. ‘NAIDOC has always been more than a week — it’s a platform, a protest, a celebration, and a statement of survival.’ This year’s theme, 50 years of Deadly, represents both a marker of time that has passed and the momentum still building.
NAIDOC Week also recognises the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare professionals who will help shape a more culturally responsive future for pharmacy. The PSA further supports this theme through the 2026 PSA Faye McMillan Conference Grant, which is awarded to one or more Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander pharmacists, interns, and/or pharmacy students to attend PSA’s national conference, PSA26.
Two of this year’s grant recipients, Scarlett Magin and Penny May, have shared with AP what culture means to them, reflecting on how their experiences continue to shape both their personal lives and their aspirations as future pharmacists.
For Scarlett Magin – a proud Kamilaroi woman and third-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) student at the University of Queensland – culture is the foundation on which she builds her identity, as well as informing her daily approach to healthcare.
‘It is my connection to Country, community, family and the wisdom of my ancestors, shaping my identity, values and sense of belonging.’
Miss Magin believes that these connections extend directly into the way healthcare should be delivered.
‘It reminds me that health is about more than treating illness, it is about caring for people in a way that honours their whole story. As I continue my journey in pharmacy, I hope to carry these cultural values into my practice and contribute to healthcare that is respectful, culturally safe and centred on the people we serve.’
Her words reflect a growing recognition across the profession that culturally responsive care is essential to enhancing personalised health outcomes, and building trust with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
For fellow recipient Penny May – a first-year pharmacy student at the University of New England – culture has been something rediscovered through a journey of reconnection, healing and learning.
‘My own journey with culture has been anything but straightforward. Reconnecting with my heritage has been joyous, deeply painful, bittersweet, and beautiful. There is grief in realising what has been forgotten, left behind, or hidden, but simultaneously, there is also healing in discovering history and connections. It remarkably welcomes me home to a place I did not know.’
‘For me, culture isn’t something I just inherited. It isn’t measured by how long I’ve known where I come from, but more the willingness to learn, to be, and to do. Every conversation I have, every time I share my story, and listen to that of others, it strengthens my connection to culture.’
Those experiences continue to guide both her personal growth and the way she hopes to practice pharmacy in the future.
‘Culture for me is a commitment to that way of being, of doing. It is kindness, respect, and community. I don’t think any of us are meant to walk alone, and while some of us have discovered connections to culture later – like myself – I feel my spirit knew all along, and it has helped shape and guide my journey.’
In both of their reflections, Scarlett and Penny share common themes of connection, respect, community and the importance of listening. Their stories demonstrate how culture can strengthen not only identity but also the delivery of compassionate, person-centred healthcare.
As PSA celebrates NAIDOC Week 2026, the reflections of these two recipients serve as a reminder that culture is a source of strength, wisdom, and leadership, enriching the pharmacy profession every day.
The PSA is proud to support the existing pharmacist workforce who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the pipeline of future pharmacists, through the PSA Faye McMillan Conference Grant. Named in honour of Professor Faye McMillan AM, a proud Wiradjuri yinaa (woman). McMillan is an Australian academic and is recognised as the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person to hold a Western degree in pharmacy.
McMillan’s achievements include:
- PSA Pharmacist of the Year in 2022
- Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and tertiary education
- NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2019
- Senior Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity
- Founding member of Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), including serving as Chairperson from 2010 to 2016
‘I feel my spirit knew all along, and it has helped shape and guide my journey.’
