Graphic: Doctors
Moving to a new town for a new job can be challenging enough but making a move during a pandemic is something else, especially when the job involves moving to another country. The six newest recruits to the South Eastern Section’s Emergency and Anaesthetic team have come from across the country and in some cases, across the world.
Dr Moon Moon Majumdar is from the United Kingdom and enjoys teaching and medical education. She is very excited to join the RFDSSE team and contribute to the remote and rural work that Flying Doctor does so well.
Although originally from America, Dr Vytas Semogas trained in United Kingdom and is now in Australia to commence work with the country's largest aero-medical service. He is looking forward to learning all he can with the RFDSSE.
Dr Emezie Odigboh is also from the United Kingdom and has some experience with London’s Air Ambulance Physician Response Unit and London Metropolitan Police. He has a keen interest in acute pain, forensics,, and ultrasound.
Working with the RFDS was always an ambition for Dr Jack Lewis. Before leaving for Australia, he was training in East London and is excited for this next chapter in his life.
Dr Harwood Robinson has been living in Australia with his young family for over five years. He says the Flying Doctors is an iconic organisation and was excited to finally be fulfilling a long-held dream to work for the charity.
Dr Phil Pascoe previously worked in prehospital, retrieval, and interhospital critical care in Victoria. He is currently employed as a retrieval medical officer with the RFDSSE. An essential part of the first few weeks is the induction training, which familiarises RFDSSE recruits with the organisation’s processes, working within an aircraft and other logistical challenges.
In non-COVID times new doctors would travel to Sydney for a week to train together with the Greater Area Sydney Helicopter Emergency Service. After this they would then get a second week full of outback adventure and simulations. But this year all training was done in Dubbo. It involved detailed simulations and scenarios designed to educate the newcomers on clinical information but also the terrains, conditions and patients they would be working with.
