VICDOC Autumn 2023 - Magazine - Page 9
RE WA RDI NG AS P ECTS O F WO R K
I N A DI FFE R E NT ME D I CA L S E T T I NG
PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED BY THE QUEEN VICTORIA'S WOMEN'S CENTRE ARCHIVE
the Peter Mac and later
The Mint. After WWII, the
hospital moved into the
site bounded by Swanston,
Lonsdale, Russell and Little
Lonsdale Streets which
had formerly been the
original Royal Melbourne
Hospital. It remained there,
with the Monash University
departments added, until
1987 when it was closed
and ‘moved’ to become the
Monash Clayton, Hospital
Much is being said,
these days, about the
importance of role
models in development
and education. When
adolescents or young
adults see people in senior
and authority positions,
with whom they can
identify, it can be a boost
to confidence and self
esteem and make building
a career seem possible.
The Queen Vic of the
1970s had senior female
consultants and heads
of unit in general and
thoracic surgery, plastics,
neurosurgery, obstetrics,
gynaecology, anaesthetics,
medicine, paediatrics,
pathology and radiology.
Their male colleagues were
accustomed to working
within this environment
and treated women as
equals to a far greater
extent than at the other
teaching hospitals. Mind
you, having worked
with Dame Joyce Daws,
(thoracic surgeon),
Dr June Howqua,
(physician), and
Miss Elizabeth Lewis,
(neurosurgeon), amongst
others, I feel it would have
taken a brave man to do
anything else.
I will always be grateful
for having had the
opportunity to study and
train with such a wealth
of senior and experienced
clinicians. Teachers, mentors
and role models with a
vast pool of knowledge and
willingness to share their
expertise. I’m sure Queen
Victoria would have been
proud to know how well
‘her’ hospital has served
the people of Victoria.
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