Welcoming our new junior doctor

Simone will join the Ochre Medical Centre Scottsdale 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.

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We asked Simone a few questions about herself:

Where are you from?

Launceston, Tasmania.

Where did you do your medical degree?

At the University of Tasmania. I completed my first three years in Hobart and the final two years in Launceston.

What made you decide on medicine as a career?

When I was very young, one of my family members had a brain haemorrhage. We spent a lot of time in and out of hospital, and thankfully they survived. Ever since, I wanted to become a doctor to help people. Throughout my schooling I really enjoyed science, so studying medicine was a perfect fit.

What did you do before embarking on a medical pathway?

I started my medical training straight after finishing Year 12. During the later years of my schooling and at the start of my university training I worked at Southern Cross as a graphic designer, which entailed me putting together graphics for display on the nightly news.

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

I am keen to meet and learn from the Scottsdale community, and in doing so, develop my skills and knowledge base. I am hopeful that this placement will prove to myself that General Practice is a career choice I would like to pursue in the future.

What specialties interest you?

At this stage of my training I’m very interested in General Practice as a future career. Other areas of interest include emergency medicine, general medicine and paediatrics.

Have you been to Scottsdale before?

I’ve never spent any time in Scottsdale but have briefly travelled through the town on the way to the coast.

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

Scottsdale seems like a bustling rural hub. I’ve had several friends undergo medical placements at Scottsdale who have all said very good things, so I’m very keen to experience the town for myself.

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

I’m a very keen player of board games, and frequently have board game nights with friends and family. I am a keen artist and enjoy creating digital art. At home I have two toy poodles (Paris and Blondie) who I love spending time with too. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve loved traveling and experiencing different cultures.

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