Welcoming our new junior doctor

Hilda will join the Ochre Medical Centre Smithton in April, where she will spend 13 weeks exploring rural medicine in a program funded by the Federal Department of Health.
The Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund is a community-based program designed to encourage more doctors to choose a rural general practice career. The program is the first of a number of programs that train, mentor and support doctors as they acquire experience in rural medicine through different stages of their training.

---

We asked Hilda a few questions about herself:

Where are you from?

I moved from Brisbane this year, but I am now Tasmanian.

Where did you do your medical degree?

I did my medical degree at the University of Queensland.

What made you decide on medicine as a career?

I like to ask “why”, and Medicine gives me the skills and knowledge to explore these questions in depth. At the same time, I like that I can promote healthcare to those I see.

What did you do before embarking on a medical pathway?

Before Medicine, I studied Bachelor of Science majoring in Biomedicine straight after High School.

What do you think you will enjoy and gain from your rural placement?

I believe that I will enjoy the variety of conditions which present in rural medicine. I am also excited to meet some of the local community!

What specialties interest you?

I especially enjoy Mental Health and Lifestyle Medicine (that is sleep, diet, exercise, etc. anything important for preventing/managing chronic diseases). I recently did a rotation in Intensive Care and has found that particularly enjoyable too.

Have you been to Smithton before?

Yes, I visited Smithton and surrounds with my family earlier this year.

What are your impressions of the region where you are going to do your rural placement?

What comes to mind with Smithton is the Tarkine wilderness, the seafood, and The Nut (you know what I’m talking about!).

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of your career?

I like hiking, cooking, yoga, reading, trying new things. I am currently also learning Japanese.

---