Resident of the Year award for MD alumna
A Macquarie MD alumna has been named as Westmead Hospital’s Resident of the Year, chosen from a pool of 120 junior doctors.
Dr Charlotte Officer graduated from the MD in 2022, and became an intern at Westmead at the beginning of 2023, before starting her residency this year.
Residents carry out a mix of clinical and administrative work across the hospital under the supervision of senior doctors, giving them experience of the different specialties before they choose which field to specialise in.
Westmead’s Resident of the Year is decided by the hospital’s medical teams, with doctors at every level invited to make nominations. The final decision is made by consultants and senior doctors, with input from Resident Committee representatives.
Before deciding to shift her focus to medicine, Dr Officer worked as a psychologist, having previously completed her Bachelor of Science Psychology and Honours at Macquarie. She then enrolled in the Bachelor of Clinical Science in preparation for the MD.
“I enjoyed aspects of being a psychologist, but at times I felt I was only helping with ‘part of a person’,” Dr Officer says.
“I wanted to further my skill set to provide more wholistic and person-centred care, and I felt medicine could help me do that.
“I love being a doctor, and it was a very unexpected to receive this award.
“I feel grateful that the work, enjoyment and investment I put into my job has been noticed by my colleagues.”
Next year, she will begin as a junior registrar with Westmead Emergency, where she will spend time in the emergency department, anaesthetics and intensive care. After that, she intends to begin her specialty training with the Australian College of Emergency Medicine.
Dr Officer says one of her favourite parts of the Macquarie MD – and a point of difference from other medical degrees – was the excellent simulation-based training.
In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she has returned to the University to work as a sessional teacher with current students.
“The Macquarie MD truly placed me in good stead for my work as a doctor,” she says.
“Having engaged with clinical placements from our very first year, working with expert specialists and even seeing rare pathology, it allowed me to build a solid foundation as a resident.
“I'm very grateful to the MQ team, particularly Wanda McDermott, Dr Janos Tomka, Dr Lydia Lozzi, Dr John Turchini, and Prof Vincent Lam.
“They've been integral in my development across the MD, but also now as a doctor and educator.
“I wouldn't be the same clinician without them.”