Four years of medical school and we emerge: rosy-cheeked new interns! Although we’re bright-eyed and keen to learn, transitioning to the hospital environment can be an isolating and stressful experience at times, riddled with bullying, hierarchical power structures, and a bureaucracy often unkind to junior doctors. We’ll discuss how to navigate the medical system by exploring the structures underpinning it, and dissect examples of real situations that you may face. Most importantly, there will be plenty of time to ask questions, and receive real, no-nonsense advice on how to cope with stress and burnout to keep yourself grounded in this next stage of your career.
Speaker:
Dr Sonia Henry
Dr Sonia Henry is a doctor and a writer. She is in her final year of GP training, and spent her formative years at at St Vincents hospital, Sydney. Prior to her career in medicine she qualified and worked as a physio. She has been published on a variety of platforms, including the physician blog Kevin MD, The Sydney Morning Herald and its partners, the Australian Medical Students Association Magazine, and the ANZ Journal of Surgery. Her debut novel ‘Going Under’, which is a fictionalised account of her intern year a la Samuel Shem’s ‘The House of God’ is being published this year by Allen and Unwin. Sonia is passionate about the welfare of training doctors and is an advocate for positive change in the medical system. She likes travelling, wine, skiing, and black humour (not necessarily in that order.)