Being raised in a small city an hour south of Perth, Western Australia had its advantages. We enjoyed freedom, open space, even the beach literally stood at our doorstep. I was the son of a country veterinarian, spending many afternoons and weekends watching consultations and surgery on our four-legged friends. Yet my journey moved me from this peaceful life, through to the hustle and bustle of working in Tertiary Hospitals in high stakes heart surgery.
My formative years in Mandurah saw me attend what was then the brand-new Frederick Irwin Anglican School, where I was inspired academically by many of the faculty, and enjoyed representing the school in swimming, hockey, and cricket. I learned discipline and perseverance learning Taekwondo, eventually gaining State representation. A cultural exchange to Japan between Year 11 and 12 furthered my independence and love for travel
I then moved to Perth for tertiary studies. Initially living at St George’s College while undertaking undergraduate medical studies at the University of Western Australia, my down time was spent between teaching Ballroom Dancing at Gilkison’s Dance Studio, and running a small high school tutoring agency. During this time, my relationship with Clare, my wife, blossomed.
Internship at Royal Perth Hospital saw me spend half of my first year as a Doctor living and working in Broome. My afternoons were spent fishing at Cable Beach, and weekends brought opportunities to play Australian Rules Football for the Peninsular Bombers, and to explore the Kimberley by 4WD and tent.
As my career started to progress, I found an abundance of mentors and role models. Achieving selection to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Programme was a highlight – my dream of becoming a heart surgeon was starting to crystallise into a reality.
Along the way, Clare and I have started to raise our two daughters, Cora and Georgia. Balancing parenthood and a career in Medicine, along with surgical training, has never been easy. Still, watching our next generation grow and mature is truly humbling.
In 2018 I was privileged to become the Speciality Representative for Cardiothoracic Surgery trainees in Australia and New Zealand. With this came a new raft of responsibilities to speak up, be an advocate, and to push for change. I have had the privilege of working with many inspirational people in the world of health advocacy, equity, and system improvement.
Throughout 2019, opportunities for activism through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trainees Association, appearing on a College video to promote the new Building Respect, Improving Patient Safety campaign, and then being an Invited Speaker at the Medical Parents of Australia and New Zealand Conference, held on the Gold Coast, where I put forward difficult questions regarding our culture towards parenthood in medical training, especially in the context of fathers. This was followed up by an invitation to speak at the 2020 AMA Council of Doctors in Training 2020 Trainee Forum in Melbourne.
2020 saw so many challenges for us all. As COVID-19 changed our sense of normality, I moved to Sydney to further my surgical education and experience in a high volume heart and lung transplant unit. As I developed new skills in ex vivo organ perfusion from a centre that put the technology on the map, my family struggled with challenges of being separated by geography and state borders.
2021 sees me take the role of Chair of the RACSTA Committee, where I will continue to push advocacy for Surgical Trainees and aspiring surgeons alike.
