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M E D I C U S
M A R C H 2 0 1 6
E V E N T
M
edical graduates had
entered a noble and
wonderful profession but
faced challenges like never before,
Australian Medical Association (WA)
President Dr Michael Gannon told the
2016 Intern Cocktail Party held last
month.
With almost 100 interns at the Nedlands
Yacht Club on the shimmering banks
of the magnificent Swan River, guests
caught up over canapes and fine wines
as they were welcomed to the profession
by both Dr Gannon and the Director
General of the Health Department,
Dr David Russell-Weisz.
Dr Gannon spoke about his experience
in the Doctors in Training Committee and
his 21 years of involvement with the AMA.
“Tonight is a time for you to catch up with
old friends and exchange those great
stories that I have no doubt you now all
have,” he said.
“Life as an intern is an exciting time for
you. You will see people at their best and
you will see people at your worst. You get
to see people at their most joyous and
their most personal moments.
“But never underestimate how
challenging your life will be.
“It gives me no pleasure to say that
I sense great apprehension and
uncertainty in interns and medical
students today – something my
generation of doctors didn’t face.
“In my day you knew that if you worked
hard enough, you would be able to craft
out a career in an area that you wanted.
That’s not a given for those in the room
tonight.
“But I have a clear message for everyone
here.
“You will need the AMA at various times
during your career. You will need our
advice and guidance, you will need our
support,” Dr Gannon said.
“I can think, on a personal level, of a
couple of dark times in my career when
the AMA was there for me,” he said.
Dr Gannon also thanked the Co-Chairs of
the DiT Committee, Drs Chris Wilson and
Michael Page for their great contribution
to policy debates.
“The Committee has gone from strength
to strength over the last few years with a
number of major achievements such as
the Training Portal.”
The Director General of the WA Health
Department, Dr David Russell-Weisz also
addressed the guests, and told them
that it was during his time as an intern in
a “dingy south London hospital” that he
met someone who told him he should
spend some time in Australia. Russ took
the advice and came to New South
Wales for a year – many years ago.
A member of the AMA (WA) himself,
Russ took the opportunity of detailing
some of the changes in WA Health that
had occurred over the last few years and
some planned for the future.
He also supported Dr Gannon’s
comments.
“I agree with Michael. There are times
when you will need your colleagues and
you will need your Association, he said.
Co-Chair of the AMA (WA) DiT
Committee, Dr Chris Wilson also took
the opportunity to remind the interns
present to always look out for one
another, talk about any problems with
their peers or even the DiT Committee,
and to always maintain relationships
outside of the medical community.
■
Words of advice:
WA’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Gary Geelhoed, Shadow Health Minister
Roger Cook, WA Health’s Director General Dr David Russell-Weisz and AMA (WA) President
Dr Michael Gannon.
Catching up:
Drs Monica Leung, Nick Laidler,
James Waldron and Gabby Touyz.
A valuable ally
The annual intern meet
-and-greet was a good time
to remind WA’s newest
doctors of the challenging
times ahead and how the
AMA can help