Gateway Health and La Trobe University bring innovation sprint to Wodonga to help solve regional healthcare challenges
Gateway Health and La Trobe University are partnering to deliver a two-day Innovation Sprint in Wodonga, bringing together students, recent graduates and health professionals to work on real challenges facing regional healthcare.
The La Trobe University x Gateway Health Innovation Sprint will be held on 9–10 April at Gateway Health’s head office in Wodonga. Participants will use design thinking and rapid prototyping to develop practical ideas in response to a genuine health-sector challenge identified through Gateway Health and researched by La Trobe placement students.
The event builds on Gateway Health’s broader commitment to supporting the next generation of health professionals and strengthening the regional workforce pipeline.
Event details
- Event: La Trobe x Gateway Health Innovation Sprint
- Dates: 9–10 April
- Time: 8:30am–5:00pm both days
- Location: Gateway Health Head Office, 155 High Street, Wodonga VIC 3690
- Audience: La Trobe students, recent graduates, Gateway Health staff and mentors
The Sprint also supports regional participation, with travel and accommodation assistance available for eligible non-local students, helping ensure a broad mix of perspectives and talent.
By bringing students, graduates and health professionals together in one room, the Innovation Sprint aims to strengthen regional innovation capability, support workforce development, and generate ideas that could improve access and experience for people using community health services.
Gateway Health CEO Trent Dean said:
“This partnership is about more than ideas. It is about listening, co-designing, and empowering the next generation to help us build more connected, responsive health services for regional communities.”
La Trobe University Program Manager for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Shannon Ryan said:
“Through our partnership with Gateway Health, La Trobe is leading industry-embedded learning in regional Victoria, connecting student talent with real health-sector challenges to drive innovation and community impact.”
La Trobe student Emma Guilmartin said:
“I’m hoping to meet other passionate students from different disciplines and have fun with my team members in brainstorming ideas, learning and understanding the process of tackling a community problem.”
Third-year Biomedical Science student Prudence McKenna said:
“It’s a very satisfying feeling to work on real-world problems that could possibly make a difference for people accessing healthcare.”
“At university, we spend a lot of time working on theory, so it has been exciting and eye-opening to work on current issues that community health centres face each day.”
Media opportunities
Media opportunities will be available on day 2 from 11:30am.
- Vision of teams collaborating, rapid prototyping and final pitches
- Interviews with students and recent graduates about career pathways and regional health innovation
- Interviews with Gateway Health and La Trobe University leaders about co-design and workforce development
- Profiles of local students involved in the Sprint
Media contacts
Gateway Health
Steven Bruni
Marketing and Communications Advisor
0439 108 100
La Trobe University
Shannon Ryan
Program Manager – Entrepreneurship, La Trobe Industry Engagement
0438 401 257
La Trobe University
Pia-Therese Trethowan
Senior Communications Adviser, Industry Engagement
0414 919 458
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