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18 January 2008
South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health welcomes 100 new doctors
Twenty-nine-year-old Dr Andrew Cooke, a former lawyer, joins 44 new graduates
who will commence their careers as junior medical officers at St George and
Sutherland Hospitals this week.
They are part of more than 100 new junior medical officers who have commenced at
hospitals across South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health (SESIH) this week for
their first year of supervised training.
The new doctors will work across the Area, taking up positions at Prince of
Wales, St George, Sutherland, Shoalhaven, Shellharbour, Port Kembla, Coledale
and Wollongong hospitals.
Dr Cooke, who graduated from law school in 1999, said that the reason for his
change of career was that he had always had a passion to study medicine.
“After working as a lawyer for a number of years, I enrolled in the graduate
medical program at the University of Sydney. I hope that the skills I have
gained will stand me in good stead to interact with, and provide quality care to
patients,” he said.
Dr Denis Smith, Director of Clinical Services at St George Hospital said the new
doctors would participate in a series of workshops and seminars to orient the
group with hospital procedures and staff.
“South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health provides an ideal training ground for
young doctors, with its mix of metropolitan, regional and rural settings,” Dr
Smith said.
Orientation workshops cover ward etiquette, patient safety, admissions and
discharges, as well as a series of presentations across hospital departments,
including pathology and pharmacy.
“The commencement of these doctors, as they put their knowledge into action
full-time, is vital to developing a highly skilled clinical workforce,” he said.
Dr Smith said that the new interns will complete a five-term year, gaining
experience in a variety of specialities including emergency medicine and
surgery.
Dr Cooke said he was looking forward to working at St George Hospital as it was
a large principal teaching hospital that specialised in trauma and emergency
management, and that it would provide him with the opportunity to give something
back to his local community.
“I have recently become the father of triplets which is an internship all on its
own, for which I wish I had had an orientation. It will certainly keep me busy,
along with my new career,” he said.
The January 2008 group of junior medical officers is the largest ever intake for
SESIH and will provide a welcome boost to the Area’s clinical workforce.
A record number of interns have received placements in NSW hospitals as part of
this year’s January intake.
Media Enquiries: Area Media Liaison Officer Maxine Brennan
9113 2601, 0413 028 776
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