Medical Women’s Society of the ACT and Region held their annual cocktail party in the spacious garden of committee member Karen Bisley on Wednesday evening 12 March.
Beautiful balmy weather, pizzas straight from the oven, and a stellar gathering of medical women ranging from first year students to retirees made for a wonderful chance to network and forge new friendships.
Thanks to all who worked behind the scenes to ensure a successful event.
Our [MWS ACT & Region] President Anita Hutchison gave an inspiring address, an excerpt is reproduced below…
Today, we celebrate the start of a new year marked by last week’s International Women’s Day, I’d like to reflect and plan the year based on this year’s themes, “Empower, Innovate, Thrive,” and “Accelerate Action,” remind us of the strength, resilience, and urgency required to address the challenges still facing women in medicine.
For women in medicine many barriers remain: the gender pay gap, the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, and the obstacles faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female colleagues working in rural and remote communities.
Empowerment should mean opportunity for all. To accelerate action, we should create workplaces that support women at every stage of their careers, from medical school to leadership. This means advocating for flexible working conditions, equitable pay, and mentorship programs to ensure every woman in medicine can thrive.
Innovation will be our pathway forward. Whether it’s expanding telehealth to reach remote communities or the vulnerable, leading research, or driving systemic change within our institutions, Australian women in medicine are uniquely positioned to lead.
But innovation alone is not enough. Thriving requires collaboration. Please join our community MWS of the ACT, to help visualise this local sisterhood of support, and to amplify our diverse voices to reflect values of equity and inclusion.
Dr Brenda Masters is a Canberra GP, President of the AFMW (2024-2026).
Brenda grew up in rural SA, studied Medicine in Adelaide, and has worked in Practices around the country before settling in our beautiful National Capital over 20 years ago.
Brenda is keenly involved in the Medical Women’s Society of ACT and Region, a group who provide both networking and peer support. She believes that everyone should be given the opportunity to realise their full potential in life and applies this to both her work and her relationships.
Brenda enjoys gardening and singing in her spare time and tries to make the most of Canberra’s proximity to the snow.
