After some gentle encouragement from his parents, a shy 13-year-old Dr Felix Ho ASM OAM (MD ’15), or just Felix at the time, would begin volunteering as a St John Ambulance cadet. This choice would unbeknownst to him lay the foundations for a lifelong commitment to giving back to his community.
Since his cadet days, Dr Ho has contributed thousands of volunteer hours across Australia (particularly in the Northern Territory) and internationally, supporting emergency response, disaster relief, youth development and public health initiatives.
He has played a transformative role as the National Youth Officer for St John Ambulance Australia, leading the development, modernisation and delivery of inclusive, high-quality youth and first aid programs, expanding access to first aid and leadership training for more than 3,000 young people.
“I think investing in young people is extremely important,” Dr Ho said.
“We know that being part of a community group like this reduces mental health burden, increases resilience, which then inspires a new, great generation to hopefully go into healthcare, but to be community minded or civic citizens, I guess that’s ultimately what’s important.
“St John obviously led me into this career, but I’ve got plenty of other friends who went to different professions and that’s okay as well. You don’t have to go into health, but it’s about giving back to community and being part of a community.”
A long-term NT resident, Dr Ho had been working as a paramedic prior to Flinders’ Northern Territory Medical Program (NTMP) launching in 2011. He had a friend join the program who encouraged him to apply, leading to Dr Ho sitting the GAMSAT, then scoring an official interview before a place was eventually offered.
“The good thing about studying at Flinders NT is that we’re quite small,” Dr Ho said.
“There was only 24 of us, so we got to know each other really, really well. There was a Flinders-style, or unwritten expectation so to speak, that the year above would help the current year’s class and vice versa, basically the idea was that you pay it forward. I very much enjoyed that community aspect.”
Dr Ho currently practises as a specialist medical officer with the NT Department of Health where, in addition to continuing extensive volunteer commitments alongside his clinical role, he provides care to diverse and often underserved populations. His clinical work is informed by deep cultural awareness and a strong commitment to improving health outcomes in regional and remote settings, demonstrating the practical application of academic training to real-world challenges.
“There’s still about seven or eight of my graduating cohort that still work up here in Darwin,” Dr Ho said.
“It’s great to run into them at work and to see how they’re going. We still very much keep in touch. And some of my lecturers are now my work colleagues and peers, so although it’s not an everyday basis, I still run into them fairly often and can bounce ideas off them to help solve problems or otherwise – it’s that collegiality I really enjoy.”
Internationally, Dr Ho’s humanitarian service includes deployment as an intensive care paramedic with the United Nations in Timor Leste, participation in disaster and outbreak responses, and contribution to health and trauma training across the Pacific. He also serves as a medical officer in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserves, where he mentors cadets and supports defence health capability.
“We were so accepted by our community. Without the fair go that we were given, I wouldn’t be able to thrive within this country and ultimately contribute back,” Dr Ho said.
Having been dedicated to community health, emergency response, and youth development for more than three decades, Dr Ho has translated his professional expertise into tangible community benefit. This lifelong dedication culminated in his award of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to community health and volunteering and his selection as the 2026 Northern Territory Australian of the Year.
“I think I see myself in the NT for the foreseeable future,” Dr Ho said.
“I came here in 2007 for a three-month contract working for the ambulance service and I’m still here almost 20 years later. Let’s see where life takes me – that’s always been my mantra. Obviously, I’ll continue my engagement with Flinders University and see what happens!”
Dr Felix Ho ASM OAM was awarded a 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award for distinguished service to community health and humanitarian leadership through lifelong volunteering and medical practice, aiming to improve outcomes across local, national and international communities.