Junior Doctor Conference wrap up

Early arrivers gathered at The Beach House Hotel to meet the Hervey Bay medical community on Friday night before starting the conference early Saturday morning. Delegates were welcomed to country by Aunty Karen Hall, before welcomes from the Committee of Doctors in Training (CDT) and the Fraser Coast Regional Council. 

Hervey Bay Hospital Paediatrics Director A/Prof Penelope Prasad busted myths about working in regional medicine before Director, Integrated Care, Fraser Coast, and Chair of Queensland Dementia, Ageing and Frailty Clinical Network and keynote speaker Dr Fiona Baker talked about embarking on the unexpected journey. 

CDT Chair and CDT Deputy Co-Chair Drs Emma Hodge and Natasha Abeysekera, Doctors' Health in Queensland Medical Director Dr Jen Schafer and Hervey Bay Hospital Resident Medical Officer Dr Ari Soerono discussed doctors' wellbeing on a panel. Nicole Brown from Cutcher & Neale gave financial advice to set delegates up for life. 

A surprisingly spicy debate followed on whether artificial intelligence will make real-life doctors redundant, with Team Affirmative A/Prof Pene Prasad, Drs Lauren Alexander and Jayden Barker putting forward some candid points before being heartily rebuffed by Team Negative: Wide Bay Health Service Clinical Council Chair and Emergency Physician Dr Ajith Thampi, Hervey Bay Hospital Emergency Physician Dr Tom Alexander and Dr Ari Soerono. 

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Director of Medical Services Dr Chris Zappala and St Stephen's Hospital General Manager Peter Wood talked about local medicine. 

After lunch, delegates split into sessions on:

• CV and interview skills with Fraser Coast Hospitals Director of Clinical Training and ED Staff Specialist Dr John Inderhaug
• performing in the workplace with University of Queensland Regional Clinical Unit Hervey
  Bay Head and Emergency Department Staff Specialist, Fraser Coast Hospitals Dr Rudesh Prasad 
• poster and research presentations - won by Sarah Samnakay wither her presentation on 3-Dimensional Virtual Reality Versus 2-Dimensional Video Distraction During the Induction of Anaesthesiain Children to Reduce Anxiety.

President Dr Nick Yim gave an AMA Queensland update, before Industrial Officers Chris Fardon and Michelle Liston gave an update on all things ASMOFQ and MOCA. 

Dr Emma Hodge presented the AMA Queensland Medal of Achievement 2024 – James Cook University to Raymond East. 

The afternoon saw delegates break into speed dating the specialities: paediatrics, general practice, emergency medicine, medical administration, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, general medicine, general surgery, academic medicine and rural generalism. 

Everyone took the chance to wind down with dinner at the Hervey Bay Boat Club on Saturday night. 

Sunday was the chance to get hands on, with delegates getting the chance to do USS guided cannulation, airway skills and ward call simulation before it was time to head to the beach for a bit of rest and relaxation, or a turn on the stand up paddleboards or kayaks. 

We greatly rely on our partners and sponsors to make this event possible, so a huge thank you to:

Platinum sponsors

• Fraser Coast Regional Council 
• University of Queensland Regional Training Hubs

Gold sponsors 

• Cutcher & Neale Accounting and Financial Services
• St Stephen's Hospital  
• Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service

Bronze sponsor

• Doctors' Health Fund

Venue sponsor 

• University of the Sunshine Coast - Fraser Coast Campus 

Trade exhibitors

• ADF Careers 
• ANZ
• ASMOFQ
• Avant
• Cutcher & Neale Accounting and Financial Services
• Doctors' Health in Queensland
• Easi
• MDA National
• MIGA
• JCU Northern Queensland Regional Training Hubs
• RACGP
• Ramsay Health Care 
• South West Hospital and Health Service  
• Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Support and Pharmacy Service

Please note guests will be sent a link in the Junior Doctor Conference wrap up email so they can download their photos.