Queensland’s Australian of the Year nominee is the state’s first ever quadriplegic medical graduate, and he’s still fighting for disability inclusion in the medical profession.

Dr Dinesh Palipana shared his incredible story with Scott Emerson, and said he’s “grateful” for his opportunities in life despite the long journey to recovery.

“Life falls apart when trauma like this happens.

“You see the wheelchair and you see the paralysis, but there’s so much more that happens underneath the surface.”

Dr Palipana faced another challenge when he returned to medical school, confronted by legal discrimination on the basis of his physical disability, inspiring him to form Doctors With Disabilities Australia.

“It really hurt, and we wanted to change that policy.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: Australian of the Year