These are unprecedented times in which we are all facing challenges and uncertainty. I hope you are doing as well as the circumstances allow. I think you will agree that the topic of our next meeting, “Doctors’ Wellbeing”, could not have come at a better time.
While we are all trying to find our balance in these extraordinary times, I would like to inform you about changes in the QMWS executive committee.
Our President, Dr Sarah Coll, and our shadow Secretary, Dr Margaret Oziemski, have resigned from the executive committee. Of course, this is a great loss. We thank them for their hard work and for dedicating their time to our organisation.
We are especially grateful to Sarah who has been our President while being based in Cairns. This meant she had to fly down for our dinner meetings and her investment in QMWS has been extraordinary. It is wonderful that through Sarah’s involvement with the Far North Queensland Lady Doctor’s Society we can keep our connection with the wider medical women’s community in Queensland. We hope to acknowledge Sarah and her Presidency more extensively when we are able to hold dinner meetings once again at the United Services Club.
Margaret is a long-standing member of QMWS . Her knowledge, devotion and willingness to explore the digital world during the Covid pandemic have been greatly appreciated. We are very happy that both Sarah and Margaret will remain members of QWMS and look forward to seeing them at our events.
At our latest committee meeting I was unanimously voted acting President until the next AGM in February 2021. I am extremely fortunate to have a dedicated and active committee to work with to ensure continuity. We have some exciting plans for 2020.
For those that do not know me, I am trained as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and systems therapist in The Netherlands and I currently work as a Life Coach, specialising in Doctors’ Health and Wellbeing. You might know my program “Wellbeing at Work” (previously known as “Resilience on the Run”) that I present to all Queensland interns for the AMAQ. I have been QMWS’ Vice President for the last four years after having been Treasurer for three years and I am on the management committee of the Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Queensland (DHASQ).
I would like to take this opportunity to invite those interested to nominate for the QMWS Presidency from February 2021. I think QMWS is best served by a President that is not just eligible for medical registration but holds registration with the Medical Board in Australia. Please contact our secretary Dr Catherine Choi ([email protected]) or myself ([email protected]) if you would like more information.
The Covid pandemic has been the catalyst for our first online event. This will be on 4th June and include presentations and a panel discussion on Doctors’ Wellbeing by Dr Margaret Kay, Medical Director of Queensland Doctors’ Health Programme; Dr Anne Ulcoq, President of Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (Queensland); Mary Williams, Chief Executive Officer/Director of Clinical Services, Belmont Private Hospital and Dr Rhys Thomas, Registrar Mental Health Centre, RBWH and Associate Lecturer, UQ. Dr Johanna Skinner, GP, will invite us to share our stories of the Covid pandemic.
For more information please visit: qld.afmw.org.au/doctor-
At our meeting on 13th August we will be focus on Domestic Violence. We hope to welcome you there and have the Hon. Minister Di Farmer as our special guest. More information will follow shortly.
Thank you all for your ongoing support and membership and I look forward to continuing on the path we have set out for this year.
Kind regards,
Dr Ira van der Steenstraten, MD and Life Coach
Acting President QMWS
