Have you ever been interested in cross cultural work? Or wondered what it is like to work as a midwife?

Join Miquette and Rowan in this episode as they chat with Katrina McArdle, a clinical midwife specialist working at Werribee Mercy Hospital. Prior to Covid Katrina was an antenatal midwife at Healthy Happy Beginnings (HHB), a specialist clinic for pregnant, Burmese women and their babies. She’s also a founding midwife for the Enhanced Midwifery Clinic that focuses on women with at – risk and complex needs, specifically mental health and substance abuse issues.

Katrina came to midwifery after many years of interest and involvement with at-risk women, youth and refugees. She was a founding member of the St Kilda Gatehouse; a support program for street sex workers. She ran Machaseh House; a Youth support Home for at risk teens. And spent some time visiting refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border. She remains deeply interested in the support and treatment needs of at-risk, youth, complex patients and refugee/migrant women, particularly Burmese during pregnancy and the Postnatal period.

This podcast was proudly sponsored and supported by AVANT, Model-Med and Med-World Institute.

Resources

• Foundation House –⁠ https://foundationhouse.org.au/⁠
• Lighthouse Foundation for Youth –⁠ https://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/⁠
• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre –⁠ https://asrc.org.au/⁠
• St Kilda Gatehouse –⁠ https://www.stkildagatehouse.org.au/⁠
• Mae Tao Clinic –⁠ https://maetaoclinic.org/⁠

Timestamps

01:56 Can you tell us about you, your family and what you like to do when you’re not working?

02:22 Can you tell us about your current role?

02:50 What work have you done in the past?

04:20 How did you get into refugee work?

07:50 Can you tell us what roles your husband had while you were over there and also the roles you had within the refugee camp?

13:15 With everything you experience in the refugee camp do you think that has shaped the midwife you are today?

16:45 With the work in Burma and the work for Healthy Happy Beginnings, what is the most rewarding part and also the most challenging?

19:47 Before the refugee work did you know you wanted to be a midwife?

22:57 What was involved in the midwifery course?

22:20 Having worked in midwifery would you consider going back to work at the Thai-Burma border?

25:49 What is complex care? What made you want to specialise in this?

27:35 Have you found anything particular challenging in working in complex care?

30:01 Is there anything you do to manage hearing traumatic stories? What would you advise for those who would like to work with refugees and complex care to help them manage hearing those traumatic stories?

33:27 What is the role for doctors within complex care that is primarily midwife run?

36:53 Do you have any stories you would like to share?

43:50 Do you have tips for students and junior doctors about working with refugee populations? Are there any organisations we can get involved with?

46:45 Do you have any advice for being culturally sensitive at work?

50:35 Do you have any tips for what medical students can do when they are heading into a birth suite? What is there to do to help out? How can they get the most out of that placement?

55:45 From the perspective of a midwife looking to the future, do you have any tips about how can we make a difference with our patients and the teams we will be in?

58:15 If there was one message for us to take home from you today what would you like that to be?

59:32 Thank you!

Have you ever thought about a rural career in obstetrics or gynaecology? Or wondered what rural practice is like? 

Join us in this episode where we chat to Dr Louise Manning, a GP-Obstetrician based in central country Victoria. Having recently completed a dual fellowship in both the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACCRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Louise splits her time between obstetrics, sexual health clinics and general practice. Louise describes rural generalism as a great way to maintain flexibility and ‘build your own week’ around what areas of medicine best interest you and serve your community. 

Join medical student Georgia as she discusses with Louise exactly what benefits rural practice has to offer, and why rural generalism may just be the career in obstetrics and gynaecology that you have been searching for. 

This podcast was proudly sponsored and supported by the North-West and Gippsland Victorian Rural Training Hubs. For more information, please visit their website https://www.monash.edu/medicine/rural-health/hubs 

Resources: 

Regional Training Hubs Victoria - https://www.monash.edu/medicine/rural-health/hubs 

Rural Doctors’ Association - https://www.rdaa.com.au/ 

Rural Workforce Agency Victoria - https://www.rwav.com.au/ 

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACCRM) - https://www.acrrm.org.au/ 

Dr JUMP Mentoring Programs - https://www.drjump.com.au/ 

Rural Medicine Australia Conference 2024 - https://www.acrrm.org.au/about-us/news-events/events 

Victorian Rural Health Conference  - https://rdav.com.au/VIC/_Vic/Events/VRHC23/Victorian-Rural-Health-Conference-2023.aspx

Timestamps

01:09 - Can you tell us about yourself and what you like to get up to when you’re not practising?

01:50 - Can you tell us about your journey through medicine and how you ended up as a Rural Generalist and GP?

05:53 - Did you always want to remain in the country, or was this something that surprised you?

07:35 - Can you tell us what a week in your life is like in terms of what you get up to, what you see and where you practise? 

10:37 - Can you tell us what ACRRM is and what rural generalism has to offer

13:23 - What advice would you give to students considering rural generalism? How can they prepare for this or see if this is something they want to pursue?

15:10 - How does working in smaller rural communities compare to working regionally? Are your training, supports and exposure opportunities different between the two settings? 

18:48 - What advice would you give to someone who is considering GP work with an obstetric or gynaecology focus?

20:44 - Are there any drawbacks to being a rural generalist or GP-Obstetrician rather than just being a sole GP or Obstetrician/Gynaecologist? 

25: 27 - What are some obstacles you have faced during your time practising rurally or as a rural generalist?

28:24 - What are some of the advantages of practising rurally? 

30:12 - Some of our listeners may not have had the opportunity to practise or be placed rurally. What advice would you give to them regarding whether or not they try practising rurally, or what they should be aware of if they ever get a call or receive a referral from a rural hospital? 

34:45 - Are there any stories you are prepared to share that have really stayed with you that highlight the difference between rural and urban medicine? 

39:27 - Finally, do you have any general life or career advice for our listeners? 

There’s more to Women’s Health than O&G, but what other options are there?

In this episode, we explore the ins and outs of endocrinology and the ever-challenging life as a doctor with Doctor Izzy Smith (@doctorizzyksmith), an endocrinology registrar in Sydney. We also discuss the importance of maintaining good mental health, avoiding burnout and what to do if you really aren’t sure what your next career move is!

Join medical students Manveen and Georgia as they hear from Izzy on the role endocrinologists can have in managing women’s health, including managing PCOS and optimising training of female athletes around their menstrual cycle, while also delving into some great career and life advice on resilience, putting your own wellbeing first and finding your passion.

• 2:05: Can you tell us about your medicine journey?
• 5:35: What first attracted you to endocrinology?
• 7:16: Was endocrinology a lightbulb moment or more of a gradual realisation?
• 9:30: Can you tell us what your day to day life as an endocrinologist involves?
• 12:30: Do you enjoy the continuity of care that accompanies endocrinology?
• 14:30: What is the pathway to becoming an endocrinologist?
• 16:35: Can you tell us about your research in bone health and other topics?
• 19:35: Can you tell us about why you started your instagram page?
• 24:30: You are a huge advocate for mental health, can you explain what led you to becoming so involved in companies such as pucker up and Movember?
• 29:50: What advice can you give to medical students and junior doctors about self care and monitoring for burnout?
• 35:18: Do you have any advice for coming back to yourself in moments where you feel lost or unlike yourself?
• 37:58: How has your life changed now as a registrar compared to as a junior doctor?
• 40:25: What advice can you give to medical students interested in endocrinology?
• 40:59: Is there anything you wish you could have done differently now in your journey?
• 42:52: What advice would you give to medical students or junior doctors who are feeling lost and unsure where to go next in their career?
• 45:03: Can you tell us about your work with Femmi and what the company stands for?

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast episode touches on topics that some people may find distressing, including depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact Beyond Blue in Australia on 1300 22 4636. These support lines are free, and available 24/7.

This episode of 'Birth Suite' was filmed in late July 2022.

Music: "Above the Clouds" by Scott Holmes Music is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

What does it take to improve access to reproductive health in primary care?

In this episode, Professor Danielle Mazza shares her passion for general practice, experiences as the former Medical Director of Family Planning Victoria, and how her clinical practice drives her reproductive health service research at SPHERE CRE where she is the founding director.

Join medical students Surabhi and Emily as they explore the precarious nature of the provision of abortion services, the structural barriers of access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), and the media impact of Roe vs Wade on the Australian landscape.

• 0:50: Acknowledgement to Country
• 1:05: Introducing Professor Danielle Mazza
• 1:48: What led you to choose general practice?
• 5:40: Why do you prefer general practice over medical specialties?
• 9:25: How does the Diploma of RANZCOG benefit your clinical practice?
• 13:03: The value of the Family Planning certificate course
• 13:50: What are the challenges you face in general practice?
• 16:47: How did you start up SPHERE CRE?
• 19:08: Findings from the ACCORD project
• 21:50: Why is this research important for modern practice?
• 24:36: Could you tell us about the work you did during your time as Medical Director of Family Planning Victoria?
• 28:00: Value of research exposure in medical school
• 29:48: What are the biggest barriers to access early medical abortion services and long acting reversible contraception in Australia?
• 33:35: Level of education about abortion and contraception during medical school 
• 36:15: There has been much discussion regarding Roe v Wade in recent weeks. What influence does the media have on health literacy? 
• 39:13: Will the Roe v Wade ruling hinder the progress that has been made regarding abortion in Australia?
• 43:10: What are the next steps and approach we need to take to improve access to LARC and EMA services?
• 46:38: What is your final piece of advice for medical students interested in general practice and wanting to working in this field?
• 50:50: Wrapping Up & Conclusion

This episode of 'Birth Suite' was filmed in early August 2022.

Music: "Above the Clouds" by Scott Holmes Music is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Endometriosis currently affects 1 in 9 Australian girls, women and those who are gender diverse. However, living with endometriosis can be extremely challenging and there is still a lot of misinformation surrounding it. In this episode, Santina and Meghna talk with Laura (@hhd_with_miss_c), a Health and Physical Education secondary school teacher with endometriosis. Laura shares her journey with endometriosis, the struggle of getting a diagnosis, how it affects her daily life and how doctors can better support those with endometriosis. 

What does the world of Women’s Health look like outside of the birth suite?

In this episode, we will hear from the Carl Wood Professor Dr Beverly Vollenhoven as she shares her journey from Day 1 of medical school to her current role as Head of O&G at Monash University and Director of Gynaecology and Research at Monash Health.

Join medical students Santina and Paige as they learn about the intricacies of IVF, novel techniques for tackling fibroids, the true impact of a mentor, and how medical students can pursue a career in reproductive endocrinology.