HEALTH
Q&A Dr Keelin Fox
Dr Jasmina Marinova
Why did you decide to study dentistry? As a young child, I had a fear of going to the dentist! I was fortunate to have a close family friend who was a dentist; I completed work experience with her and those few weeks changed my perceptions and planted the seed to pursue a career in dentistry.
Why did you decide to study medicine? At school I was obsessed with Chemistry and everybody thought I would be another Marie Curie, but one day I woke up and realised that people matter more than atoms and molecules.
Did you ever want to quit? Dentistry, like many other professions, is demanding on your body and mind, so it’s especially important in this profession to maintain a good work-life balance. The mouth is a very small workspace and procedures can be intense. But when you make a difference in someone’s life and see how happy they are, that’s a really great feeling and why I’ve never considered quitting. How did you decide which area of dentistry to specialise in? I’m a general dental surgeon so I treat the full spectrum of dental issues in kids and adults, which means I’m never bored! I am currently studying for a Masters in Orthodontics in London. What was the toughest moment of your career to date? When I first qualified, I felt overwhelmed. I worked in the Accident and Emergency at the Dublin Dental Hospital and was exposed to a lot of emergency patients with complex needs. I learned so much that year but I had to adapt quickly to the demands of the job.
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Did you ever want to quit medicine? Yes, but not because of medicine. I started my career in difficult times for my home country and doctor’s wages wouldn’t pay the bills. It was my loving husband who persuaded me to stay in the profession I loved, taking the whole financial burden on his shoulders. How did you decide to specialise in paediatrics? As a fun-loving junior doctor I found paediatric patients funny, open, honest and unbelievably genuine, so I was naturally attracted to working with children. Little did I know at the time how challenging and rewarding paediatrics actually is! What is the best part of being a doctor in Cayman? The people! I love our unique international community. What was the toughest moment of your career to date? It’s been a long career, so I can think of many tough moments. However, I think it is the emotions you face when mother nature renders medicine powerless to help.
Who has been your main professional inspiration? I would say my previous employer back in Ireland, Dr McAllister. He was instrumental in setting up the Irish Oral Cancer Awareness programme that has saved many lives and fully supported me promoting this programme here in Cayman, which we run every year with the help of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society.
If you were to work in a developing country, where would you choose? My family and I support the Bansang Hospital in rural Gambia. In 2014 we spent time there and introduced the POPS (Paediatric Observation Priority Score) system to recognise sick children, as well as delivering training on neonatal life support. Part of my heart will always remain with the wonderful people we met there, and undoubtedly I will go back one day to do more.
Dr Fox is a Dentist at The Dental Centre. Originally from Ireland, she is married with three children under the age of nine.
Dr Marinova is a Paediatrician at Integra Healthcare. She is Bulgarian and is married with two grown up children.