We’ve introduced you to our ‘Intern of the Year Award — as voted by senior medical staff’, but now it’s time to introduce you to our stellar intern who won the 2021 Intern of the Year Award — peer nomination – Joel Don Paul.
Joel is a first-year medical intern here at Peninsula Health. We had a chat with Joel to delve a little deeper and quickly found out why he was so liked by his peers.
Q. How did you find the year 2021? Were there any significant learning moments that have stuck with you?
A. 2021 was a challenging year. Beginning my first year as a doctor, while also having to navigate the complexities of COVID-19, created a very steep learning curve, both professionally and personally. I will never forget my first rotation on surgery; after years of studying, the feeling of clinical independence was something new; allowing me to apply my knowledge into clinical practice to help manage a wide variety of surgical patients was a significant learning highlight for me.
Q. Who did you find helped you the most during the year?
A. The support and help I received from Peninsula Health’s nurses and allied health department was extremely influential to my growth. The holistic care they give to all of their patients was an invaluable learning curve for me, one you have to witness first-hand to be able to put into practice. My family and friends were also supportive during this challenging year — I’m very grateful for all the invaluable support given to me during my internship.
Q. Which doctor was the most memorable to work with?
A. Collectively, all my co-intern doctors were great to work with. We could easily relate to the roles we each had within our teams, which allowed us to constantly support and learn from each other. This fostered a great sense of belonging as we rode the highs and overcame challenges together as interns.
Q. What are you most excited for (in the medical space) in 2022?
A. The opportunity to work in the paediatrics department really excites me, not only so I can brush up on my Bluey and Frozen knowledge, but hopefully to be able to make a difference by improving the lives of children who have been significantly affected by the recent pandemic.
Q. What made Peninsula Health a special place to work?
A. Peninsula Health is a very tight-knit healthcare service, which fosters a strong sense of teamwork, making it a special place to work. This has been reinforced during COVID-19, with Peninsula Health staff looking out for each other, a quality that has never been more important than in these challenging times. It has been a privilege to work alongside experienced and dedicated staff committed to providing the best care