AMA Queensland's new Council of Doctors in Training Chair
Dr Dilum Ekanayake is the new Chair of AMA Queensland's Council of Doctors in Training (CDT).
Dr Ekanayake is currently completing his PhD in Health Systems and Epidemiology, while working as an emergency doctor at Logan and Grafton hospitals, and a lecturer at the University of Queensland and Griffith University.
Dr Ekanayake has been a passionate advocate for junior doctor issues through the drafting and implementation of the Medical Officers’ Certified Agreement 5 (MOCA 5), and currently sits as the only junior doctor on the executive of the state and federal branches of the doctors’ union, Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation Queensland (ASMOFQ).
What do you hope to achieve as chair of CDT?
I hope to improve junior doctor representation on the AMA and ASMOF councils to ensure these policy engines are driven by the future of the profession.
I’m also aiming to improve recruitment and retention through adding value to members through educational programs and industrial representation.
What do you see as the current challenges for junior doctors?
- Global short staffing across Queensland Health
- Issues with wellbeing, burnout, mental health, and support for an overworked junior workforce
- Upcoming MOCA 6 negotiations and ensuring our log of claims appropriately represents junior doctors
- Surge in presentations through emergency departments to hospitals across the state resulting in sudden worsening of workloads for junior doctors
Why should junior doctors be a member of CDT?
CDT is the core representative body for junior doctors in the state. It has representation to, and from a broad range of other policy bodies including, Doctors' Health in Queensland, AMA Queensland Council, ASMOF council, various colleges, and medical student societies. As we increase the membership and diversity of CDT, we can ensure we accurately represent junior doctor ideas to those bodies, as well as having a consistent and cohesive voice.
Join the conversation with your junior doctor peers on Queensland Doctors' Community (QDC) Junior doctors closed group.