Introducing Dr Sarah Jane Springer
Dr Sarah Jane Springer, is a Wiradjuri woman from Mudgee, NSW and is currently working at Charleville, Queensland.
At the NAIDOC Week Bursary Celebration in July 2022, Sarah provided a moving video detailing her work and insights as a medical woman as she develops her multidisciplinary skills and completes the Leadership for Clinicians Course, Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators.
“I would like to provide a massive thanks to the AFWM organisation for their focus and consideration developing a bursary of this nature for First Nations women in this country.
A big shout out to all the sponsors for acknowledging the value of supporting us in our quest for better health outcomes and leadership for our mobs.”
“Medical Leaders in the health care system are crucial and more importantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical leaders…(this) will not only assist to dismantle barriers, but we can also apply a holistic understanding of health and wellbeing that can benefit all Australians. Transformative change cannot and will not occur unless we are represented at the decision tables that affect our lives.”
Thoughts by Dr Sarah Jane Springer
Dr Sarah Jane Springer, a Wiradjuri woman from Mudgee, NSW is one of the recipients of the 2022 Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursaries. This beautiful and inspiring video was the initiative of Sarah in providing a contribution to the NAIDOC Week Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursary Celebration (Brisbane, 5 July 2022) when she could not attend in person as planned due to skeleton staff during the COVID Surge.
During the video, Sarah describes the challenges faced in her 18 year journey to date in Medicine including: “The First Battlefield” Overcoming barriers to studying medicine as a 17 year old and in her undergraduate years. Drawing strength from the support and encouragement of valued mentors “Chasing a skillset” in Fellowship Training, Upskilling for the multidisciplinary requirements of rural practice, Developing her passion for Women’s Health, Being guided by the expectations of Community, Transforming hesitancy into expertise in honing her surgical skills particularly in Obstetrics, Promoting the importance of Cultural Safety Awareness in her daily work, and extending this broadly to formal training within the specialist Colleges, The pivotal role of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA) as a powerful collective voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical professionals and students.
She completes the video with an expression of humility and with gratitude to her Ancestors and Elders.
Acknowledgements
The Purple Bush Medicine Leaves Bursary Program was established as part of our commitment to the reconciliation and the Makarrata Commission, to encourage and empower female medical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates and students as they further their medical career and/or leadership aspirations.
The Program continues to grow, thanks to our supporters and sponsors, with four Bursaries awarded in 2023.
Readers are also encouraged to review the resources provided in the AFMW Resources For The Voice To Parliament Referendum post.
We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors and supporters.
