In profile: Dr Alecia Martin

Whether working in regional Western Australia or participating in not-for-profit initiatives, Alecia is committed to using her medical skills to reach those most in need. Inspired by her parents – both general practitioners (GPs) – and her own experiences in the field, Alecia is now building a career anchored in social responsibility, always with an eye to giving back. I caught up with Alecia, who is currently a Resident Medical Officer at the Joondalup Health Campus in WA, to find out a bit more about her medical journey.

What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a doctor. This originated from a positive experience of my family in medicine. My parents are both GPs (and MDA National Members) and they spent nine years working as volunteer doctors in Nepal during my primary school years. I think growing up in that context helped me to see medicine as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to individuals and communities, especially in under-resourced settings.

Throughout my school years I was interested in the sciences and human biology. I also enjoy interacting with people. It was a combination of all these things that led me to pursue a career in medicine. My younger sister is also doing medicine, which has been a great experience to share together.

How did your parents come to do humanitarian work in Nepal?

Both my parents decided to pursue careers in medicine, with the goal of doing humanitarian work overseas. They met each other somewhere along the way, and were able to pursue those goals together.

When they were looking into where to go overseas, Nepal had established mission hospitals where volunteer doctors could teach and work, so it seemed like a good opportunity. We didn’t have prior connections with Nepal, but now we have many connections and relationships after our time there.

What are your most common career challenges, and how do you address them?

I think my biggest ongoing challenge is finding work-life balance. I consistently find that medicine becomes a less enjoyable space when I don’t make regular time to recharge with activities that are energising to me.

Medicine is busy, with long working hours and significant emotional investment. There are also the interpersonal challenges of working in a team setting and managing different people’s expectations, preferences and personalities. Medicine also brings me in proximity with a lot of suffering and unfairness in our world.

I often struggle with the fact that some people have horrible diagnoses, live shorter lives than they should, or are limited in both small and very significant ways. I’m challenging myself to cultivate compassion in the face of frailty, rather than become immune or indifferent to the lives and suffering of others.

How would you describe your passion for not-for-profit projects?

I think that comes from my own story and upbringing. My Mum is from Sri Lanka, and she came to Australia as a refugee when she was sixteen. I grew up in one of the poorest countries in the world, and moved back to Australia when I was eleven. Those experiences remind me that I’ve been given immense privilege and opportunities in being able to live and study in Australia, and to pursue a career in medicine.

I want to leverage my privilege to benefit others, particularly those who haven’t had the same opportunities that came my way. I think, at some level, we all want to do something good and meaningful in the world – and for me, giving back through non-profit work seems like a great way to do that.

A lot has been discussed about rural medicine in Australia. How would you describe your experience?

My first exposure to Australian rural medicine was spending a year in Port Hedland during medical school. That was an eye-opening experience that made me realise how limited resources are in the country compared to metropolitan settings. I was so impressed by the doctors there. Not only did they have an incredibly broad skill set, but they were making a really positive impact on the community through longstanding relationships with their patients. I’ve since had the opportunity to work in Newman, Kununurra, Kalgoorlie and Broome; and each of those placements have further inspired me in the direction of rural medicine.

My plan is to do rural generalist training, which I’ve started this year. My goal in the shorter term is to work in rural Western Australia, particularly among Aboriginal populations. In the long term, I plan to do volunteer humanitarian work overseas in under-resourced settings.

What advice would you give to someone considering a medical career?

I’d say that medicine is a wonderful career! It makes me excited to think about the lifelong possibilities of learning and contribution in medicine – it’s so vast and in-depth that I will be busy swimming around in it for the rest of my life!

I’d also say interacting with people is a significant part of medicine, so it’s important to enjoy doing that. Undoubtedly, medicine is a significant commitment. My Mum likes to say, “you need to be married to medicine”, which I often laugh at. But it constantly reminds me that medicine is a high calling – and if you are going to do it, do it with all your heart.