Lyn Luo’s graduate journey from healthcare to health intelligence

Lyn Luo is the latest alumnus of the Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) Graduate Program – a paid, fixed-term development opportunity designed for recent or soon-to-be graduates keen to build a career in primary healthcare. 

The program offers hands-on exposure to how a Primary Health Network operates, including strategy, commissioning, coordination and planning, with graduates rotating through core functional areas across the organisation. 

These areas include mental health, digital health, aged and palliative care, data science and information management, IT, and corporate services such as planning, human resources, procurement, quality and risk, marketing, communications, stakeholder engagement and events. 

For Lyn the program was a chance to bring together two distinct career paths, healthcare and data in an international reach. 

“After growing up in China, I moved to New Zealand just before my 17th birthday,” Lyn said.  

“I initially studied midwifery at Auckland University of Technology, but realised it wasn’t the right fit for me, so I moved to Hamilton to study a Bachelor of Nursing, where I felt there were more opportunities.” 

After graduating in 2017, Lyn worked as an agency nurse across both the North and South Islands before settling in Christchurch to complete a Master of Applied Data Science at the University of Canterbury. 

“I wanted to focus on clinical and medical data so I could combine my healthcare background with data science,” she said. 

After spending 11 years in New Zealand, Lyn made the decision to move to Australia in April 2024, attracted by broader opportunities in healthcare and data. 

“I felt Australia offered strong prospects for young professionals, particularly in health analytics.  

“Post-COVID, there was growing demand across the sector, and once my residency was approved, the move felt like a natural next step, and when I discovered the Gold Coast Primary Health Network, it felt like the perfect match,” she said. 

Lyn began with the GCPHN in January 2025 as part of the Health Intelligence, Planning and Engagement (HIPE) team, working with a diverse range of datasets including influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations, cervical screening, COPD and bowel cancer screening. 

“It has been a great journey,” she said.  

“My manager, Jerneja Sveticic, was incredibly supportive and always encouraged me to grow, learn and apply my own research to real projects and that level of trust made a big difference.” 

Lyn believes the Graduate Program is particularly valuable for people looking to pivot or build a second career. 

“It’s ideal for people like me who want to gain experience in a new field while still working within healthcare,” she said.  

And good health is something Lyn actively practices.

In her downtime, the gently spoken analyst enjoys long road trips, exploring off-the-beaten-track destinations, hiking and playing badminton. 

And she sees no letup in future service needs. 

“Primary healthcare is an ever-growing priority in Australia, and PHNs play a vital role in connecting government and GPs across mental health, family care, disability support and more and demand will only continue to grow. 

“The graduate program is perfect for people who want to use data to support informed decision-making in primary healthcare and turn information into meaningful insights,” Lyn said. 

This week, Lyn takes the next step in her career with a relocation to Sydney to begin a role as a Digital Health Analyst with the New South Wales Government. 

“I can’t thank the GCPHN HIPE team enough for the opportunities, trust and guidance they’ve given me over the past year, which has set me up perfectly for the next exciting chapter of my personal healthcare journey,” she said. 

For more information about GCPHN graduate opportunities and other opportunities t work with us visit GCPHN Positions Vacant – Gold Coast Primary Health Network or for more information on the many programs and services delivered by Gold Coast Primary Health Network, visit www.gcphn.org.au.