Dr Marissa Barker discusses ways of making hospital postings less daunting for new residents.
Rural medicine continues to grow from strength to strength, with Lismore a leading centre for excellence. In 2018, we have welcomed 12 new rural preferential recruits (RPRs) to Lismore Base Hospital where they will be completing internship and residency over the next two years.
LBH is an attractive location for new graduates, offering terms across a broad range of clinical specialties along with a reputation for exceptional senior clinician support. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly evident that lifestyle influences, the allure of rural clinical practice and the culture and backdrop of the Northern Rivers hold both personal and professional appeal.
On 31 January 2018, a welcome dinner for the newly commencing interns was held at the Lismore Workers Club, hosted by the recently formed Women in Medicine and Men in Medicine groups, with support from LBH and the North Coast Primary Health Network.. The dinner was a great success, with 40 attendees coming together to welcome our newest clinical colleagues. It was wonderful to see doctors of all seniority at the event, many of whom have been practicing in the Northern Rivers for several decades. This was a rare opportunity for new interns who were starting their first week.
Dr Jane Barker spoke to the Womens’ group about the importance of taking time to look after ourselves, which is a sentiment we can easily forget in our competitive race to consultancy. She reminded us that we are privileged to practice medicine, and that we should always remember that the most integral part of good patient care is compassion, warmth and kindness.
We hope to continue to expand the Women in Medicine and Men in Medicine groups, with a focus on doctors’ health and wellbeing. We recognize that in order to provide high-quality care to out-patients, doctors need to be well themselves. We hope to foster connections, friendships and mentorship with our clinical colleagues by meeting in informal settings. Please keep an eye out for our next event in the coming months.
A special thank you to Dr Susan Velovski, Specialist General Surgeon, and Dr Katherine Willis-Sullivan, Director of Medical Services, who helped to make the ‘Intern Welcome to Lismore’ event possible. Also many thanks to Lismore Base Hospital and the North Coast Primary Health Network for their sponsorship of this event
If you would like to be apart of the mailing list for notifications of events hosted by the Women in Medicine group please contact Marissa Barker on
