Inspired to shape the future of women's health

Two James Cook University medical students have gained valuable insights and inspiration for the future of women's healthcare after attending a leading national conference in Sydney. Supported by Evoca and the North Queensland Regional Training Hubs (NQRTH), the experience provided a valuable opportunity to explore emerging issues, hear from leading experts and consider how the next generation of doctors can help improve women's health.

Ria Mathew and Sianna Green attended the Evoca Women's Health Conference in October, joining GPs, registrars, nurses and allied health practitioners for a full day of expert presentations, discussion and professional networking.

The program explored a diverse range of topics, including women's hormones and mental health, pelvic pain, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), postnatal pelvic floor health, benign breast disease and fertility.

For Ria, who has a particular interest in women's mental health, hearing from Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, a renowned leader in the field, was a highlight.

“I found the different mechanisms behind complex PTSD in women compared with men extremely interesting, and how often PMDD is mistaken for bipolar disorder is something I will definitely consider in the clinical space,” she said.

A key takeaway from the conference for Ria was the importance of recognising and appropriately responding to women's health concerns, particularly when symptoms can be overlooked or misattributed.

“Through my clinical experience I have heard many stories of women whose abdominal pain was dismissed or inappropriately managed. It was encouraging to spend a day with clinicians committed to doing better on such matters,” Ria said.

She also welcomed the latest developments in Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) care, highlighting the importance of ensuring practitioners are informed about the condition and putting new knowledge into practice.

Meeting inspiring women working across medicine and allied health was another highlight, and Ria is keen to share what she learnt with colleagues, friends and future patients, particularly in rural and regional communities.

“I left feeling energised and genuinely hopeful about the care women can receive,” she said.

Ria and Sianna attended this conference thanks to support from NQRTH and Evoca. Evoca generously sponsoring their conference tickets and NQRTH covered flights and accommodation.

The opportunity reflects the importance of supporting future rural and regional doctors to access professional development, learn from leading experts and bring valuable knowledge back to the communities they will serve after they graduate.