The future faces of the region’s medical industry have hit the wards of Sunshine Coast Health’s hospitals, after years of study and training.
Sunshine Coast Health has welcomed 73 medical interns who will work in crucial roles, while continuing to expand their skills, with supervision and training from some of the service’s most experienced doctors.
Director of Medical Services Workforce Dr Alison Roper said the interns’ first year of practise after graduating from university is an exciting jump forward, and the culmination of years of study.
“While the interns are the most junior members of the team, they are a key part of the team, they’re really helpful in coordinating the care of patients, making sure the administrative tasks are done, and often being the first point of contact if there’s a patient enquiry,” she said.
Sunshine Coast Health has designed a comprehensive program, to ensure the interns have a positive and supportive experience, that successfully leads to them gaining their general registration.
“As they develop and go through further training, they’re becoming the consultants of the future, so if we can on-board our interns really well and give them the support they need, that’s hopefully growing our senior medical workforce which is really important,” Dr Roper said.
Director of Clinical Training Dr Sara Lucas said the graduates will rotate between five key areas such as surgery and emergency, and some will even experience working at Nambour General Hospital, Gympie Hospital and Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital.
“The Sunshine Coast provides an opportunity for supervision and training that is absolutely amazing, and our dedicated and passionate supervisors put the time in to training these junior doctors, so they come out with the best outcomes, and hopefully then stay on the Coast.”
Before starting their hard-earned intern positions this week, the doctors underwent a thorough orientation course, which included training, refreshers on key skills and social events such as group meals and a tunnel ball competition, to create a supportive network.
They were also put through their paces in life-like scenarios at the Sunshine Coast Health Institute’s high-fidelity simulation suites, practising skills such as life support, caring for a deteriorating patient and cannulation.
Dr Sophie Gilderdale is one of the interns juggling the excitement and nerves of finally being on the job.
“I said to my parents when I was five that I wanted to be a doctor,” she said.
“It feels surreal, and it feels like a privilege.”
Dr Matthew Stewart is pleased to reap the multiple benefits of launching his career at Sunshine Coast Health.
“I found it’s a nice middle ground to allow me as many opportunities as possible”, he said.
“Being on the Sunshine Coast allows me chances to explore more rural opportunities, but it’s still a major metro centre, so I’m not missing out on what people experience in the major Brisbane hospitals and I’m still getting aspects to quite rare and interesting procedures and surgeries.”
Dr Kieran Johns is also looking forward to being exposed to variety experiences across the health service.
“I am interested in rural medicine, so hoping to get to practise more in rural communities, potentially having a couple of terms up in Gympie,” he said.