VICDOC Autumn 2023 - Magazine - Page 31
PERSONAL
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LIKE MANY WOMEN, THERE WAS A POINT WHEN
MY CAREER ASPIRATIONS LOOKED INCOMPATIBLE
WITH A CARING FOR A FAMILY.
I was working as a registrar in microbiology
and infectious diseases in Newcastle in
1991 and seven months pregnant with my
first child when Professor of Medicine
Michael Hensley, also a public health
physician, suggested I train in public health
medicine with him when I returned from
maternity leave. He invited me to nominate
my start date, and the number, days and
hours of my work. Having a role shaped to
accommodate me was extremely unusual.
As a public health registrar, I worked
mainly in communicable diseases and child
public health, and was also interested in
all aspects of health system functioning.
Over time I’ve cobbled together diverse
family-friendly clinical, research, teaching,
governance and leadership roles.
AS A MEDICAL STUDENT AT A SCHOOL WHERE
THERE WERE MORE FEMALES THAN MALES IN
MY YEAR, IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT
GENDER WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
But at times it was. As an intern my
consultant said he thought women shouldn’t
be doctors. As a heavily pregnant registrar
and the only female at a crowded medical
morning handover that same consultant
called on me to describe the efficacy of the
oral contraceptive pill. Periodically there have
been other occasions when gender-based
comments or assumptions have been made
which reflect, I think, a mostly unconscious
bias about gender roles. Although my
organisation’s lead in the pertinent area,
about a decade ago I was replaced in a
matter because, I was told, a male needed
to lead a particular conversation. I’ve had
to explain that a male consultant lauding
a female consultant for her “passion” in a
meeting (rather than her expertise, skill or
leadership) can sound patronising. Subtle
biases are still potent which is why we
need to keep talking about them.
OUTLOOK
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PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICINE PRACTICE CAN CHANGE
HOW MEDICAL SPECIALISTS TOGETHER THINK
ABOUT THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF
DISEASE, ABOUT WAYS TO REDUCE THE NEED
FOR HOSPITALISATION ACROSS A COMMUNITY,
AND IN DESIGNING NEW MODELS OF CARE.
While many public health physicians are
employed in departments of health, public
health units and academic centres, many
possess another specialty also and bring
public health considerations to that other
specialist practice. I trained later in medical
leadership and management. When I
came to Ballarat, I was credentialled in
both medical administration and public
health medicine – to my knowledge the
first public health physician credentialled
in a health service in Victoria. With both
hats I was able to scope and establish the
Ballarat4Kids program, a whole of city
approach to child health and wellbeing,
now a coalition of 35 multi-sector
organisations working to create
an environment in which all
children can thrive.
IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COMMUNITIES,
PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICINE AND CLINICAL
MEDICINE ARE BOTH CRITICAL TO DELIVERING
HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
Public health physicians protect and
promote health and prevent disease by
working with communities to attenuate the
impacts of socioeconomic determinants on
their health, while working with clinicians
and others to ensure that our health and
social care systems deliver value and meet
community needs.
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