Careers
Registrar Training
Dr Maddi Harper
Hi I’m Maddi – a PGY4 ED Registrar at Bendigo Health. I was born, raised, and completed almost all of medical school in Melbourne. I moved to Bendigo from Melbourne for Internship after completing a single ED rotation here as a Monash 5th year student and have never looked back. I chose Bendigo because I knew I was interested in critical care and Bendigo offered more opportunities to do critical care rotations early in my career (and not just the paperwork part of the jobs!).
Being rural is an excellent place to learn and build confidence – as a junior ED Registrar you are rostered onto resus shifts on average once per week, where you get to manage critically unwell patients in a supportive environment and do procedures that many don’t get the opportunity to do in metropolitan centres. It also gives you a huge advantage when it comes to exam time as you are often reading your own ECGs, CT scans and other imaging from very early on (particularly overnight). There is also opportunity to do rotations in ICU and Anaesthetics which can be difficult to get in Melbourne. We also have highly skilled educators who go out of their way to teach and ensure that people pass exams, with an exemplary pass rate the last few years in both the Primary and Fellowship FACEM exams.
Outside of work I play for the Strathdale Soccer Club, enjoy bush walking and visiting the amazing restaurants and wineries we have in the area. Daylesford and Hepburn Springs is only a scenic 40 minute drive away and is perfect for weekend getaways. Bendigo is also a very dog friendly place to live with many off-leash parks which your furry friend with love.
Bendigo is an absolutely fabulous place to work – I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a challenge, to work in a friendly and supportive department and wants to live somewhere that work is only a 5 minute drive away (with no traffic!).
Dr Natasha Tile- Provisional ACEM Trainee
Hi, I am Natasha, a PGY3 ED Registrar at Bendigo Health. I came to Bendigo after completing Internship and Resident years at Royal Melbourne Hospital. I was researching Emergency Departments to work in and could not find a place that had the reputation of Bendigo, highly recommended by consultants and registrars it was hard to find a city hospital with a reputation of building well rounded ED Registrars in a friendly environment. So I jumped ship and moved rural, knowing only a few people before I got here.
Since moving to Bendigo I have explored more local restaurants, wineries and national parks than I ever did in Melbourne (especially during COVID). I have joined a local football club, almost been convinced that mountain biking is a safe sport and sat my Primary exams. Being rural is a great place to learn, as a junior ED Registrar I am frequently rostered on to Resus shifts where with senior support I manage critically unwell patients, opportunities I feel would not have come to me at a metropolitan hospital.
Overall, I would recommend Bendigo ED to anyone who wants to challenge themselves academically, procedurally and socially in a friendly and well-supported ED."
Dr Scott Illgoutz- Advanced ACEM Trainee
My name is Scott Ilgoutz, I am an early phase advanced trainee who has been working at Bendigo for the past year and a half. Prior to Bendigo I was working in Melbourne and I jumped at the opportunity to work in Bendigo for a number of reasons.
I knew a couple of the FACEMs who worked in Bendigo and they spoke really highly of the culture of the deparment! They outlined a team where ED doctors are focussed on looking after patients really well, not just streaming them to a sub-specialty service to be sorted out down the line, and a group of friendly, supportive consultants with a real interest in helping their registrars to learn great skills. It has been pleasing to find this to be an accurate description of the department!
I have seen a wide range of interesting pathology, learned many interesting new procedures and been well supported as I transitioned into being in charge of the department overnight and supervising junior doctors. The rostering team work really hard to help work fit in around your life where possible which is very much appreciated. Also, the access to critical care and other specialty rotations is pretty good compared to other places with many more registrars vying for similar numbers of positions.
Bendigo is also just a great place to hang out. The registrar group organise excellent social events amongst ourselves at a variety of the local restaurants and bars, as well as get out for a bike ride on the copious single trails really close to town.
I have really enjoyed my time in Bendigo from both a professional and personal point of view and would definitely recommend it to junior and more advanced ACEM trainees alike!