Dr. Patricia Bastick

Name: Dr. Patricia Bastick

Career stage: Registrar

Location: Sydney

Position:

What training program are you currently in?

I am completing my final year of Medical Oncology training, having started in 2005.

What attracted you to this training program?

I decided on physician training partly through exclusion, but also I found the specialties within physician training interesting. Early on in basic physician training, I thought I would do respiratory medicine. I had not had any exposure to Oncology, and was actually quite afraid of my lack of knowledge in the area! I finally decided in my first year as a medical registrar to request an Oncology term, mainly to allay my fears. Little did I know that I would find it so interesting, and be so inspired by the Oncologists I worked with. I have come to realize during my training that the consultants you work with can have an enormous influence over your ultimate career path, and the Oncologists at St George Hospital amazed me with their enthusiasm and desire to teach. I discovered a specialty that is not only extremely intellectually stimulating, but very rewarding personally and very flexible due to the large outpatient clinic base. My training program allowed me to take 6 months of maternity leave, and return to work 2 days a week based in the clinics. There was not an issue of continuity as I was not involved in inpatient care.

What are some of the things that you did to help you decide and plan your career to get into this training program?

Once I decided that I was interested in Medical Oncology, I approached the consultants at my hospital to seek some advice. I could not believe how excited they seemed to be that I wanted to do their specialty! At that time, Medical Oncology trainee jobs were often empty and I was lucky enough to be offered a position at 4 different hospitals once I completed my exams. It is now becoming more and more popular, and there is now some competition for training jobs, although far less than Cardiology or Gastro.

What advice do you have for students interested in your training program?

Before you decide on a specialty, try to do a rotation in that specialty, at least once, if not twice, during your basic physician training. Try to get involved in all aspects of the job. If your role does not involve outpatient clinics, ask your consultants if you can help out in clinics or at least sit in on clinics. Inpatient Medical Oncology deals only with the sickest patients or those transitioning to palliative care. You will get a very skewed view on Oncology if you do not have exposure to the outpatients, and may decide that is not for you without even experiencing what 90% of the job is about!

What do you do outside of medicine to relax?

I have a 12 month old son that keeps me very busy and reminds me every day that there is far more to life than work!