Media release

Support for other doctors wins Doctor Leadership Award

A Victorian doctor whose work has resulted in many thousands of doctors receiving support has won the Australian Medical Association’s annual Women in Medical Leadership Award.

Dr Kym Jenkins

Dr Kym Jenkins received the award from Dr Helen McArdle (Chair of the AMA Committee on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity) at the AMA’s National Conference for her outstanding dedication and commitment to advancing women leadership, quality care and contributing to medical politics.

“Dr Jenkins has dedicated herself throughout her career to improving the working conditions and wellbeing of doctors in all their career stages,” Dr McArdle said.

“Her dedication in this area is unparalleled. Through her work as the founding Medical Director of the Victorian Doctors Health Program, Dr Jenkins has helped establish a critical standalone clinical support service for doctors’ health in Victoria that has served as the model for doctors’ health services nationally.

“Dr Jenkins then used her experience from the program to serve as the chair of the Expert Advisory Group of the Doctors’ Health service leading significant change in doctors’ health services nationally.”

Doctors Health Service coordinates the delivery of advisory and referral services to doctors and medical students across the country by state-based providers.

Dr McArdle said that while Dr Jenkins most profound advocacy efforts have focused on doctors’ health and wellbeing, her advocacy efforts stretched beyond this to include migrant and refugee health, women’s health, domestic violence and mental health more broadly.

“More recently Dr Jenkins has been pivotal in helping the AMA as a founding executive member and treasurer of the Hand-n-Hand Peer Support network, which has provided support to medical practitioners and other healthcare workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Jenkins is also a former President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and former chair of the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges.

Dr McArdle said the eight outstanding nominees for the award should be very proud of their achievements.

“I’d like to thank each one of these amazing doctors for their dedication and commitment to advancing women leadership, quality care and contributing to medical politics.”

Outgoing AMA President, Dr Omar Khorshid, added his congratulations.

“Dr Jenkins has made an enormous contribution to medicine and has shown dedication throughout her career to furthering the goals of the AMA.

“She is a true advocate for women in healthcare leadership who embodies the character of this award,” Dr Khorshid said.

The other nominees for the award were: Dr Anita Munoz. Dr Astha Tomar, Dr Ines Rio, Dr Maria Boulton, Dr Miriam Russo, Dr Peta Higgs and Dr Siobhain Brennan

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