Dr Mikaila Kilov, Kimberley Region

I started working with the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) on Yawuru country in 2020 as a Resident Medical Officer (RMO). I had initially planned to stay for one year, and then return to the city, but ended up staying for a second RMO year in 2021. After a brief hiatus, I returned to the Kimberley as an Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) trainee, to work as a WACHS Emergency Department service registrar.

Working for WACHS has provided me with opportunities over the past two years that have been beyond anything I could have imagined possible as a junior doctor. I’ve completed a wide range of hospital-based rotations, travelled to remote communities for outreach clinics, and have been involved in the care of patients through all the life stages. I’ve delivered babies, had hands on experience managing high acuity traumas, organised aeromedical retrievals, and seen a breadth of pathology that one only reads about in textbooks. I’ve done all of this with the unwavering support and guidance of an exceptionally skilled team of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, Aboriginal health workers and patient care assistants. The job has provided the perfect balance between autonomy and support to allow me to develop confidence and competence as a junior doctor. Above all, I’ve been privileged to meet and care for patients that come from immensely diverse backgrounds, all of whom have a unique willingness to share their stories that are rich with culture, language, and history. These stories provide invaluable lessons in humility and resilience and are an integral part of what makes working in the Kimberley so special.

Furthermore, working with WACHS Kimberley has provided a legitimate opportunity to sustain a healthy work-life balance, which has allowed me to spend time exploring the incredible and diverse surrounding country. This means regular camping trips, fishing, boating, beach days, and the best mud-crabs in the world.

Whilst the work here has helped to foster my passion for rural and remote medicine, I truly believe a stint with WACHS would provide an unrivalled experience for all junior doctors, irrespective of their medical interests and career ambitions.

Photo: Dr Mikaila Kilov enjoying the Kimberley lifestyle!