I grew up in Home Hill, a small cane farming community an hour and a half south of Townsville. My family have been growing sugar cane for three generations, so I grew up watching cane fires and driving around the farm on quad bikes. Growing up in a rural community shaped my values early - hard work, resilience and looking out for one another were part of everyday life.
I didn’t always know that I wanted to pursue medicine, but I had always enjoyed learning, particularly in health science, so I figured I’d apply for a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University. I was 17 when I first started medicine, so I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into at the start! As I progressed through the degree, I felt like I’d found my calling and now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. As I neared the end of my degree, I realised I never wanted to live and work in a metropolitan area, so I focused on rural generalism as a career from my intern year. I completed my intern and RMO years on the Sunshine Coast and have spent the last two years working in Emerald as a PHO, doing half GP half hospital work. This year, I’ve moved to Mount Isa to complete my advanced skill training (AST) in internal medicine.
My experience in Emerald was invaluable because it gave me a chance to work in multiple different settings within the same community, and I learnt about myself in the process! Working as a GP was a very rewarding experience for me, I loved getting to know my patients and their families, and I really enjoyed the continuity of care that comes along with it. The therapeutic relationships I built with my patients in Emerald will stick with me, and I felt that I was able to help people in a way that you just don’t get in hospital medicine. I also learnt that critical care medicine is not for me. I like non-acute problems and preventative medicine, so I was looking for an advanced skill that would complement that well. I worked with a couple of doctors in Emerald who had done internal medicine ASTs and I was so impressed with their knowledge in managing chronic diseases that I wanted to be like them when I grew up.
I love the culture within the healthcare community in rural places. In Emerald, I got to know the nursing staff, the allied health staff and of course the doctors and their families. It was lovely feeling like I was truly a part of the community, especially since I moved there not knowing anybody. Outside of medicine, I enjoy attending local events like races, rodeos, rural balls, as well as hospital social events like trivia nights or lawn bowls. Hobbies keep me grounded and I like going to the gym and improving my strength my latest flex is I can now squat 55kg. I also like going on adventures to see waterfalls, going on hikes, going camping, and just enjoying the beauty that nature has to offer. I also enjoy baking and everyone in Emerald will tell you that my chocolate chip cookies are the best! My other hobby is doing paint-by-numbers. I currently have 12 paintings that I’ve finished hanging up on my wall. Anybody who follows my Instagram knows that I am an avid traveller, and so far I’ve been to Japan, Greece, Spain, Sicily, Switzerland, Germany, Fiji and Thailand. I’m excited to see which place I’ll get to explore next!
I don’t know what my future will hold, but I do know I love rural generalism. I definitely see myself doing more GP work once I complete my fellowship. I also enjoy working as part of a team in the hospital, so I’m hoping to find a position where I can have a balance of both and continue serving a rural community.
My advice to other junior doctors is to make sure that your career as a doctor isn’t the only important thing in your life. Make sure that you take time off when you need it, invest in hobbies and relationships outside of work and find a workplace that supports both your professional development and you as a person.