Time and support to learn and grow

Getting caught up on some posts since getting more storage for this site.

May 2023

Throughout the life of a doctor, there must always be learning and growing and adding more and more tools to our toolbelt so that we can best care for those we serve. When I lived in the US, I was not able to take advantage of many conferences and courses because the time and money allotted to doctors in my region for continuing education was insufficient and I was more focused on other priorities. Here in New Zealand and Australia, we are given weeks a year for CME and 4x the amount of money to accomplish it. I am taking advantage of that now. I had an intense, amazing, memorable and lovely week in Melbourne Australia. I went for an Advanced Laparoscopic skills course. It was all day for three days of lectures and honing certain skills. I was so grateful for this. The only non-medical speaker was an amazing woman- Jacqui Cooper, 5 time Olympic aerial freestyle skier representing Australia. We talked after the presentation and found that we had so much in common in regards to a long term vision for our lives and the commitment to visualizing, planning and working toward our goals. I was able to get a picture with her.

Melbourne was beautiful. My hotel was divine, wafting through the vents in the common areas was this heavenly floral smell.

I am truly blessed to have found fellowship and sisterhood throughout my adult life that have been invaluable to me. Before moving to New Zealand I was able to garner knowledge and wisdom from others who went before me and then I was able to offer that help to those that came after. On this medical trip I was lucky to do the course with a fellow American Amber Warmsley Burnett, who moved to NZ about 6 months after I did.

The BEST part of this trip was the fact that I was able to finally meet in person, a woman who has been like my beacon of light, mentor and guardian angel for almost a decade. Carmen Brown. She is also a fellow OBGYN. She moved to New Zealand many years ago and then moved to Australia and we connected via Facebook groups of Black female physicians. Randy and I always knew that we weren't raising our children in the US. She and I would keep in touch online. She followed my life and I followed hers. I would always tell her to remember me and when I decided to leave the US she guided me and Randy along the way. After we arrived to New Zealand, Carmen has checked in on us regularly, and whenever I reach a professional milestone, she is always encouraging me to reach for more and guiding me with how to get it done.

We are looking forward to hosting her when she makes a trip to NZ and she has already put in her order as to what she wants Randy to cook for her. It was such a blessing to get to see Carmen in the flesh. She is such a gem and a special soul.

Me and Carmen after enjoying High Tea at my hotel (The Langham)