Careers Day 2017

Are these the medical professionals of the future?

Secondary students got an insight into life as a health professional yesterday, when they attended a Health Careers Showcase hosted by Grace Hospital in Tauranga. The day, which attracted 70 students and teachers from 10 schools throughout the Bay of Plenty, brought together health professionals from a range of specialties, who each spoke candidly about their chosen career.

“When young people are considering a health career they tend to think about GPs, surgeons or nurses, but there are so many other disciplines that play a vital role in health care” said Janet Keys, General Manager of Grace Hospital. “The idea of the Health Careers Showcase is to give them a broader perspective of the options available and help them decide which career may best suit them.”

One student from each school had the opportunity for a hands-on experience with Grace’s state-of-the-art surgical robot, each tackling a training simulation exercise under the guidance of Urologist, Jim Duthie, who specialises in robotically assisted procedures. “This is likely to be the most expensive thing you’ll ever touch” he joked, as he explained that the Da Vinci system is worth just under $3 million.

The students were enthusiastic about the day, and appreciated that the various speakers had given up their time to be there and spoke openly about the rewards and sacrifices of their chosen field. “It’s quite different meeting someone in person” commented one. “You can read all about a job on the internet but you get a much better picture when you actually meet the person behind it”.

The presenters included: Mr Jim Duthie (Urologist), Lorraine Hogan (Nurse Practitioner), Ingrid Fisher (Theatre Manager), Mary Sharpe (Physiotherapist), Jim Cairns-Nelson (Anaesthetic Technician), Kylie Alexander (Medical Radiation Technician), Dr Amanda Ragg (Radiologist), Dr Caroline Zhou (Anaesthetist).

The day was a resounding success and Keys is keen to repeat it next year. “The only problem was that we didn’t have enough space and had to turn people away” said Keys. “We might need to find a bigger venue next year”.



Dr Caroline Zhou speaks to students and teachers.