Junior doctors to meet in Townsville

This is the second time in its eight-year history that the conference has been held in Townsville, following successful conferences in Cairns and the Gold Coast.

This year, doctors will enjoy a side trip to beautiful Magnetic Island for a ‘speed dating the specialties session’ on the beach.

Speakers include the 2018 AMA Doctor in Training of the Year, Dr Mikaela Seymour, North Queensland Cowboys Medical Officer Dr Chris Ball, and Townsville Hospital and Health Service (Townsville HHS) medical oncologist and international leader in teleoncology models of care, Professor Sabe Sabesan.

AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said JDC gave early career doctors and medical students the opportunity to network with their peers and gain an insight into what different specialties can offer.

“Medicine is such a challenging, rewarding profession with so many options and opportunities,” Dr Boulton said.

“You can see that from the wide range of speakers and topics covered over the weekend.

“This will be a chance for doctors right at the start of their careers to talk to potential mentors who can help steer their careers while learning some procedural skills from cardiologists, orthopaedic surgeons, intensivists, ophthalmologists and oncologists.”

AMA Queensland Committee of Doctors in Training (CDT) Chair Dr Elise Witter, a junior doctor based in Cairns, said JDC was a chance to de-stress among colleagues and create new networks and contacts for their careers.

“Doctors’ wellbeing is so important, yet has been overlooked for far too long,” Dr Witter said.

“The sessions on balancing life, medicine and wellbeing and overcoming adversity will help start conversations about how to look after ourselves and each other will help start those conversations and give students and junior doctors the confidence to look after their mental health and that of their friends and colleagues.

“I am very fortunate to live and work in a tropical paradise, and am passionate about reducing inequity in regional and rural healthcare. Holding JDC outside Brisbane and South East Queensland is a great step in attracting and retaining medical students and junior doctors to North Queensland.”

JDC is sponsored by Townsville HHS and hosted by James Cook University.

Townsville HHS Board Chair Tony Mooney said the conference was the perfect opportunity to showcase everything the health service has to offer up-and-coming doctors to the region.

‘‘The conference is unique in nature as it offers, what we hope will be, future Townsville HHS doctors the opportunity to see first-hand the attractant lifestyle of the region and the professional opportunities the HHS has to offer them,’’ Mr Mooney said.

‘‘Improving the health of the North Queensland community has never been more important and, as the pre-eminent tertiary facility in the region, we are committed to growth, innovation, tech solutions, research, and education as the way of the future.

‘‘We must ensure we are working with our partners to seek out, attract and support the very best and brightest minds to join us because this is where the future of healthcare truly lies.’’

James Cook University Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs said the University was delighted to host the conference.

“JCU is Australia’s most successful university in graduating doctors who take up regional and rural careers,” Prof Biggs said. 

“We are passionate about building a high-quality and sustainable health workforce that improves the health of our northern regions, and is trained to meet the health challenges our regional, rural and remote communities face.

“JCU is proud to be partnering with AMA Queensland to host the conference in Townsville and to be joined by our Platinum Sponsor, Townsville HHS, the largest Tertiary Hospital and Health Service outside of Brisbane.”

JDC Townsville will be held on 3-4 June. Conference details and the full program are available here.