DOCTORS’ HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Self matters The inspiration of others This regular column explores doctors’ health by highlighting practical ways to support anaesthetists’ and pain specialists’ wellbeing. This edition looks at what and who inspired one ANZCA trainee to pursue her passion for supporting colleagues’ wellbeing, and what she has learnt along the way.
Our profession is inherently a team sport – fellow clinicians in our theatres, clinics and broader workplaces; our contemporaries from medical school, training and specialist practice; and other more senior and junior colleagues. A few of these stand out – sadly and disappointingly, those who treat us poorly, but also those who are memorable for good reason – the inspirational, the courageous, the steadfast, the outspoken, and those who challenge us to think outside current constraints to consider greater possibilities. Many of these become role models and, some, mentors. It's a great privilege to introduce this edition’s piece by Dr Jess Barry, wellbeing provisional fellow in Sydney. My thanks to Dr Tanya Selak for suggesting I get in contact with Dr Barry. It has been inspiring to me as I watched her hone her narrative about how she became interested in the wellbeing of those around her. I trust you also gain inspiration from her piece and that it encourages you to reflect on those who have positively changed the course of your professional life, even if they are unaware of their influence on you. hile working on this column I could not help but reflect on my truly inspirational mentor W and friend, FANZCA Dr Ann Newton (1955-2008).
As always, I welcome ideas for future columns to lroberts@anzca.edu.au.
Dr Lindy Roberts AM ANZCA Director of Professional Affairs (Education)
TO ALL THE WOMEN WHO’VE COME BEFORE When it was suggested that I should write a piece for the ANZCA Bulletin, my imposter syndrome flared. I am not an expert on wellness or wellbeing or welfare. Though I am the inaugural “wellbeing fellow” at my hospital – it’s mostly through friendship, mentorship, and a little bit of luck that I am. How did I get here, and how can we help trainees and each other? Please allow me to explain… It started with a loss When I became an anaesthesia registrar, my support network in medicine largely disappeared. My closest friends had left medicine, left the state, or both. I thought I’d try to make my own support network of sorts. This started with a bunch of junior medical officers (JMOs) sharing food and talking about bad things that had happened at work. We were continually surprised that we had such common experiences but starkly different ways of dealing with how they affected us. Now, with the help of a few dedicated trainees from critical care specialties, we call it ADAPT (All Doctors Are People Too), and we run small group discussion and debrief peer support
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sessions throughout the year at Auburn, Westmead, and Royal Prince Alfred hospitals in Sydney. The existence of this program has implicit reliance on the circumstances in which it was created: in the safe space of the Auburn anaesthesia department with the support of Dr Alpha Tung, an unassuming leader and informal mentor to all her “ducklings”. She demonstrated to me the importance of integrity. She also advised me to classify my concerns into groups: things you can control / things you can influence / things you can neither control nor influence, and to divide energy accordingly. This provided a work-life balancing routine that remains useful, especially when tasks are piling up and become overwhelming. Progress, but definitely not perfection With some new friends, a bit of experience, and a new job in Western Sydney to carry me through my training, I felt well equipped for what lay ahead. First thing I did, though, was fail the primary exam. Both then and now I recognise that this was not the end of the world - but it still happens to many of us while we are just starting our careers, wanting to prove ourselves. Self-confidence and self-worth can take a hit. Cue Dr Robyn Alleyn with whom I already had an established mentorship. She reassured me and encouraged