Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours), 2013
Taking on one of healthcare's biggest global challenges
When Courtney Ierano began studying pharmacy at Charles Sturt University's Wagga Wagga campus, she was driven by a desire to help people access quality healthcare.
What she could not have predicted was that her career would place her at the centre of one of the world's most urgent public health challenges: antimicrobial resistance.
Today, Courtney is a clinician-researcher whose work is helping change the way antibiotics are prescribed and used across Australia and beyond. As a Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow and Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Officer with the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, she works across research, clinical practice, education and policy to improve patient safety and protect the effectiveness of life-saving medicines for future generations.
For Courtney, the journey began in regional New South Wales. Growing up in Leeton and later studying in Wagga Wagga, she developed a strong appreciation for accessible, practical healthcare and the important role health professionals play within rural communities. That foundation continues to influence her work today.
"My time at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga gave me the opportunity to experience research, ask questions and develop the curiosity that has continued to shape my career," Courtney says.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) in 2013, Courtney completed her internship at Albury Wodonga Health. It was there that she discovered antimicrobial stewardship, a discipline focused on ensuring antibiotics are used safely and effectively. What began as an interest quickly became a passion.
She was fascinated by the way antimicrobial stewardship connected almost every area of healthcare, bringing together clinical practice, patient safety, infectious diseases and health systems improvement. Encouraged by mentors, she pursued a PhD scholarship with the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, a decision that would shape the direction of her career.
Her doctoral research explored surgical antimicrobial prescribing, laying the groundwork for an influential career focused on translating evidence into practice.
Since then, Courtney's work has helped inform national policies and strategies addressing antimicrobial resistance. She has contributed to major initiatives including Australia's National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy and improvements to national antimicrobial stewardship standards.
At the heart of her work is a commitment to improving patient outcomes.
Through large-scale auditing and surveillance programs, Courtney helps healthcare organisations understand prescribing practices and identify opportunities to improve care. Her research combines data, clinical expertise and implementation science to ensure evidence can be translated into meaningful change in hospitals, aged care settings and across the broader healthcare system.
One of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing that impact occur at multiple levels.
"Antimicrobial stewardship brings those two parts together; it is ultimately about improving patient care and safety," she says.
Alongside her research, Courtney is passionate about supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals and researchers. She supervises PhD candidates, mentors early-career pharmacists and helps foster collaboration across Australia's antimicrobial stewardship community. Through these roles, she is helping build the expertise needed to tackle future healthcare challenges.
Her commitment to education reflects some of her own most valued university experiences.
While she remembers the friendships formed during her time in Wagga Wagga, she also recalls the practical workshops that taught her how to communicate with patients, apply clinical knowledge and think critically, skills that remain central to her work today.
Courtney believes curiosity has been one of the defining themes of her career.
Rather than following a rigid plan, she has embraced opportunities, sought out mentors and remained open to unexpected pathways.
"You do not need to have your whole career mapped out early. Focus on building skills, working with good people, and staying open to where those experiences might take you," she says.
From regional New South Wales to national leadership in antimicrobial stewardship, Courtney's story demonstrates the impact curiosity, collaboration and evidence-based thinking can have on healthcare. As the challenge of antimicrobial resistance continues to grow globally, her work is helping ensure patients today, and in the future, benefit from safer and more effective care.