Dr Emily Moody is a rural generalist with an advanced skill in anaesthetics. Emily works as a Senior Medical Officer at Boonah Hospital as well as with the Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway, ACRRM and UQ. She is also the Chair of the Queensland Clinical Networks Executive and Co-Chair of the Queensland Rural and Remote Clinical Network.
Emily always felt that working rurally was an obvious choice. Growing up in Cairns, she spent a lot of time camping and enjoyed the regional lifestyle. Attending James Cook University, Emily completed rural rotations across north Queensland, as well as a John Flynn placement for medical students. These experiences normalised rural generalism as a solid career choice. ‘I was fortunate to have strong mentors and attend the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland annual conference from the second year of medical school. I felt an affinity with rural generalists – like this was my tribe and I wanted to become one of them’.
Emily completed the first 4 years of medical school in Townsville, then happily returned to Cairns for the final 2 years of medical school and her intern year. ‘Cairns was home, it’s where I grew up and got married. I had connections there and I cherish the experiences I had as a new doctor. I fondly remember riding my pushbike to work everyday along the Cairns Esplanade, and socialising with other junior doctors who all lived near the hospital too – it felt like a large village’.
By PGY4, Emily had ventured to South East Queensland to work at Kingaroy. ‘Dennis Pashen, a prominent RG from my JCU days and time at Mount Isa as a student, approached me about working in Kingaroy. RT Lewandowski, who was Med Super, essentially got my husband and I out to Kingaroy for a short trip to woo us. Meeting the people and the team is what won us over’. The small, tight-knit team supported Emily through the birth of her first child and her return to work. ‘I gave birth on the day of the RACGP OSCE (which I obviously didn’t sit!) and was just 6 weeks shy of finishing my training. I was back at work 6 months later as a RGA. I was lucky enough to have support to schedule breaks in the theatre list to duck to the daycare to breastfeed my son.’
After a stint in Ayr and the birth of her second child, Emily worked in Laidley for 3 years, before transferring to Boonah Hospital. Emily juggles her clinical work with study, administrative and education roles, and family life. ‘If I had to put my finger on one thing that helps me balance my commitments, it would be exercise. It helps me reset, stops me feeling overwhelmed and keeps me focussed throughout the day. It really is underrated and has been a solid habit to take up after having kids’.
A typical work day for Emily might include chairing meetings and recording podcasts in her non-clinical roles, or working shiftwork in her clinical role. She credits the variety of her work with maintaining balance. ‘I discovered you have so much autonomy over what you do after fellowship. Rural generalists have a broad scope of practice so you can figure out what you enjoy or get value out of and really lean into it. You can tailor your work life to suit your interests and strengths which is a huge privilege. I’ve realised I really love dealing with complex problems, looking at big picture issues and working as part of a team. I’ve chosen roles aligned to this so it’s not a burden to be at work – I am driven by my interests and passions’.
Connection is also a key driver for Emily. ‘I am grateful for the opportunities I am given and really want to make the most of all the time I’ve got. Being a doctor, I’ve cared for patients who haven’t been able to live their life to the fullest because of their health, and this has given me a heightened awareness of how fortunate I am to enjoy good health. I make a deliberate and conscious effort to “squeeze the juice out of life” by connecting with loved ones, friends and the broader professional community. Whether it’s social engagements, trying new restaurants with friends, or playing games with my sons, I try to make the most of my time and be in the moment. If you take great joy and pleasure in the good times, it makes the hard times easier to weather. I also live by keeping a bottle of champagne in the fridge for those “just in case” moments – you never know when there’ll be something to celebrate!’
Having recently reduced her clinical work to accommodate her other roles, Emily acknowledges the sweet spot for non-clinical versus clinical work varies. ‘I’m confident the work that I’m doing with QRGP and the Clinical Networks is indirectly benefiting rural patients. I have a greater impact and opportunity to work collaboratively to drive change across the whole of Queensland whereas in my clinical role I am one doctor seeing one patient at a time at one facility in one community. My roles are synergistic – my work as a frontline clinician influences the decisions I make at a systems level. Deliberately embedding practising clinicians at a systems level may help solve some of the complex problems in healthcare.’
Emily really values her clinical work for the opportunity to maintain her core skills and says direct patient care, looking after her community and sharing in their health journey are the most satisfying parts of her role.
‘Working in rural medicine, you can meet some of the greatest people, such as Peter Davis of Bloodbikes Australia. Peter and his team of volunteers provide a courier service for our hospital every Saturday and Sunday, which we wouldn't have otherwise, to take pathology to our nearest laboratory for processing. They also provide an on-call service for emergency transport of blood and medical supplies to us. Their service is invaluable for our community’.
The trickiest part of balancing different roles for Emily is the fatigue factor. ‘For me, as I age, I don’t bounce back from being on-call as well as I used to, particularly while balancing family needs. Shift work can be tricky when coupled with “business-hours” roles. I have had to learn to set boundaries, manage the expectations of others and make some big decisions to ensure I am able to perform well’.
Emily encourages all doctors to consider rural generalism and what it can offer. ‘Looking back, training in rural medicine has enabled me to thrive, and pursue interests and career pathways that I didn’t know were possible when I started. Being a rural generalist means that your skills are so broad, they can carry you through all the different seasons of your life. I don’t know where my passion for rural health will take me next, but I’m excited for the adventure ahead!’
Boonah | Scenic Rim: Mununjali, Wangerriburra, Ugarapul Country