Dr Davina Oates

My first taste of rural work was as an O&G registrar in Kalgoorlie followed by a remote visit to the Ngaanyatjarra lands with the community midwifery and child health group. It was my first taste of remote obstetrics and I often think about it when I am building relationships with our remote women to try to encourage them to engage with having their delivery in the hospital.

My pathway to rural generalism was pretty atypical. I worked as a resident medical officer and then as a service O&G registrar from PGY 2 to PGY 5 and started my advanced DRANZCOG in 2013. I did five months in Hedland as a locum GP Obstetrician at the hospital in 2015 with registrar level GP/ED supervision and independently in Obstetrics. I was pregnant with my first child who was born in June 2015, so I took some leave and a did few casual ED shifts before starting the ACRRM training pathway through WAGPET in Kununurra in 2016. I got a fair bit of recognition of prior learning and really cracked through my training at the hospital and the private medical centre in town (0.5 FTE each) before fellowing in 2017. I’ve stayed employed at Kununurra District Hospital as an Obstetrics DMO since then, but also done some traveling and locuming as a GP/ED/VMO and sometimes as Obstetrician in the Pilbara, Tasmania, Norfolk Island and the Torres Strait. I am pretty well the definition of a rural generalist and proceduralist now!

When I’m not at work, Kunnunura is a fabulous spot for outdoor activities. I am into day hikes, getting out on the water, camping and waterfall chasing in the wet season. We also have heaps of sporting and social clubs in town and a few places to eat out. The East Kimberley region is a well-kept secret!

Photo: Dr Davina Oates