20 January 2021

Earlier this month we welcomed 62 new medical interns to Austin Health. These new doctors will rotate through our services and gain valuable training, experience, and support from our medical, nursing, and allied health staff. 

We spoke with two of our new starters to get to know them better and see how they’re finding their first few weeks on the job. 

Dr Jess Chiodo-Reidy explains why she chose to become a doctor.  

“My dad died of brain cancer when I was 21, and this was my first significant exposure to the healthcare system,"says Dr Chiodo-Reidy.

She always considered becoming doctor, but her experience with her dad made her realise just how rewarding this career could be.

“I think the opportunity to be invited into a person's most vulnerable moments and be asked to help is an enormous privilege, and one that I don't take lightly,” she says.

Dr Chiodo-Reidy’s first rotation is in psychiatry in the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU).

“I'm interested in pursuing psychiatry as a specialty, so I'm pleased to have it first to see if I like it in real life!

“Everyone has been really supportive in APU and I'm enjoying the feeling that I'm making a contribution,” she says.

Dr Chiodo-Reidy is also a mum to two-year-old Maddie.

“She's a very funny and active kid who doesn't like sleeping very much.

“Sometimes being a mum feels like a superpower. I've achieved amazing things on virtually no sleep that would not have felt possible before, like having a paper co-written by Dr Natasha Holmes published while I was still breastfeeding around the clock.

“I think being a mum has helped me develop patience, empathy and efficiency that will come in handy as an intern,” says Dr Chiodo-Reidy.

Dr Kieren Fahey has a deep connection with Austin Health.

“Growing up in the northern suburbs, Austin Health was actually my local hospital.

“I’ve been a patient there, as have my siblings, parents and grandparents. Every interaction my family has had with the hospital has been nothing but positive, including my time here as a student.

 “Joining Austin Health seemed like a natural way of being able to contribute something small to my local community,” says Dr Fahey.

Dr Fahey is currently on secondment in Mildura Base Hospital and is working with the general medicine team there. 

“I’m finding the first few weeks busy! It’s incredibly exciting being able to put all my theoretical knowledge into practice and be able to make decisions that can help to improve how my patients are cared for.”

For the past two years Dr Fahey has been one of the hosts of the RRR Sunday morning talk show called, Radiotherapy.

“We discuss all things Medicine and health including everything related to our incredible colleagues in allied health.

“The show aims to communicate topical medical issues to the general public and shines a light on some of the incredible advancements being made in the field of medicine.”

Austin Health would like to thank our Medical Education Partner MIPS for their support of 2021 Intern Orientation.