Dear AFMW Members and Friends, I hope you have all had an opportunity to rest and spend time with family and friends. We are already in full swing for the new year with a line up of Events and Open Forums planned.
Herstory this month features Dr Rosalind ‘Ros’ Terry, Surgeon, Victorian Medical Women’s Society Seniors Rep and Constance Stone Award recipient. Dr Ros Terry has been a valued member of the Victorian Medical Women’s Society (VMWS) since she graduated from medicine in 1973 and to this day remains the VMWS Senior Member’s Representative.
As 2021 comes to a close, I’d like to wish you all a wonderful and safe festive season and hope that you can spend time with your loved ones. It’s a time to celebrate our ability to connect in person again, to listen to each other’s stories, to rest and switch off from work. As you reflect on the year that has passed, make sure you celebrate your achievements, your health and your relationships and remember that achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by trying to achieve your goals. This will be our final eBulletin for 2021 and the eBulletin team will return in late January 2022. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
It gave me great pleasure to deliver the inaugural AFMW awards to the recipients Dr Karen Price, Dr Kathleen Hayes and Dr Marissa Daniels. The Australian Federation of Medical Women President’s Award for Excellent Service to Health 2021, was given to Dr Karen Price President, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, for her excellent contribution to the health of Australia, leadership and advocacy for general practitioners. The Australian Federation of Medical Women President’s Honours was given to one of our elders, Dr Kathleen Hayes in recognition of her excellent contribution to the community and profession. The Australian Federation of Medical Women President’s Young AFMW Award was given to Dr Marissa Daniels, in recognition of her excellent contribution to individual states, AFMW and MWIA.
The Australian Federation of Medical Women hosted its Annual General Meeting this Saturday 6th November. We were privileged to have Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley AO, PSM attend deliver her address to us in an informal conversational style. Three inaugural President’s awards were presented. This is the first time in nearly 100 years, that AFMW has ever given awards which made it an even more special event.
AFMW President, Dr Magdalena Simonis released the 2020-2021 Annual Report at the recent Annual General Meeting. Thank you to our patron, members, supporters, partners, sponsors and contributors throughout the year. Download a pdf copy of the Annual Report.
Herstory this month features our own Dr Sandra Hirowatari, our esteemed Rural and Remote AFMW Council member. Sandra’s challenge to herself has been, “I wanted to be a person I admire” and ‘face your fear’.
Upon reading Sandra’s story, my immediate response was ‘wow’, and after digesting it all, letting the emotional impact settle, and speaking from the perspective of an urban doctor who experiences rural and remote only as a transient observer on holidays, I am filled with a sense of awe and gratitude that doctors like Sandra exist.
Young AFMW (yAFMW) is the AFMW committee for medical students, female doctors fewer than 7 yrs since graduation and those aged younger than 40 yrs. Nominations for our leadership committee are NOW OPEN!
As part of the Strategic Plan in November 2020, I instigated a Medical Women in Technology and Health ( MedWiTH) group. The Technology Health (Digital Health) industry is THE FASTEST GROWING industry in medicine and intersects with many sectors and industries. In this “Taking Health” podcast I discuss the career opportunities and challenges that exist for women within the healthcare and technology space.
Herstory this month features our own Dr Desiree AM, specialist gynaecologist in cervical dysplasia, esteemed AFMW member, current Vice President of Western Pacific MWIA, past President of AFMW and VMWS. Many years ago, Desiree called me at my practice and invited me to attend the WP MWIA regional conference that was taking place at the Sofitel Hotel in Melbourne. That was my first introduction to VMWS, AFMW, MWIA and the beginning of many wonderful experiences. Hopefully by reading these vignettes, you enjoy learning something new about career development and aspects of mentoring.
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