https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/would-be-spys-new-career-as-a-doctor/3626938/ THE journey into medical practice has been laid out for Kingsley Smith since he was just five years old. With an initial aspiration to emulate James Bond and become a spy, Dr Smith's childhood was peppered by frequent hospital visits after being diagnosed with Kawasaki disease - a condition that causes inflammation along the walls of blood vessels. Witnessing the care and dedication of the medical team supporting him and his family, he abandoned his ambitions for a life of stealth and secrecy to pursue the field of his new found idols. "That was my first memory of a hospital, the paediatricians in Brisbane were really good and I have a vivid memory of being in the Royal Brisbane Hospital and making a Lego set with my dad,” Dr Smith said.
"I just remember feeling really comfortable in what was probably one of the scariest times of my life, and now talking to my parents about that time it was scary for them as well. "They found the doctors and nurses helping them through that was something they really hold on to even to this day as a pillar of something that got me through a very difficult time.” Dr Smith was in awe of the inspiring endeavours of the doctors and nurses who guided him through this period; eventually acting as the catalyst to launch his own medical career. Equipped with a passion for absorbing new information, these two factors collaborated as he studied at Griffith University - leaving behind his prospects of joining the ranks at MI6 - before beginning his career at Mackay Base Hospital. "Initially I wanted to be a spy - because I'm a big James Bond fan - but I realised I didn't have the physical capabilities for that so I thought 'what else can I do?'” Dr Smith laughed. "A big part of the journey in all health professions is the lifelong learning approach and I like the idea of being in a job that makes you constantly up-skill, keep learning and keep developing. "There's so many new things happening in medical research and practice that just seemed really appealing from the perspective of someone who really enjoys getting their hands dirty and learning new stuff.” Even amongst the strenuous workload that confronts medical students, Dr Smith's passion for teaching has him hopeful of integrating this into his future endeavours. With his career only just dawning, he said he has entered the profession with the mindset that anything is possible and determining a final speciality at this stage was too difficult to confirm. "That's the eternal question when you're training (so) I've taken the approach of not ruling things out as opposed to ruling things in,” he said. "I think that's one of the most exciting things about medicine as a career; not only is there lots of different thing you can do within it but there's a lot of different roads you can take. That's why it's such a hard question to answer but at the same time such an exciting prospect to face.” Dr Smith is anticipating a stimulating and turbulent induction into the medical world; however, he is confident the considerable cohort of young doctors around him will contribute to the support system required to harness their knowledge and turn it into a fruitful career. "One of the great things about having such a large cohort here from all different parts of Queensland with so many different backgrounds, I'm really excited to learn from and with so many different colleagues,” he said. "I'm really excited because there's a lot of emphasis placed on building up your resources around you to help you through what can be a tough year. "I certainly think - looking around at the people I get to do this intern year with - they are going to be great people to learn with and from as we field our own paths moving forward.”
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AuthorA selection of my general news content. My main round was health, however I frequently covered weather, crime, politics and general human interest. Archives
January 2020
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