Paediatrician returns to Latrobe Valley
Dr Mandy Li at the Monash Regional Clinical School, which works alongside Latrobe Regional Hospital.
A warm and welcoming experience when undertaking rural rotations as a Monash University medical student has led to Dr Mandy Li returning to the Latrobe Valley as a consultant paediatrician. Dr Li started work in her paediatrics role with Latrobe Regional Hospital recently and it was like “coming home” to the place where she also worked after graduating from Monash University in 2004.
“I did a paediatric rotation as a fourth year medical student here, then came back as an intern and again later as a registrar, so I have come to know the hospital and the area very well over the years,” Dr Li said.
“It’s a lovely place and I enjoyed working here, so that helped make my decision to come back again as a consultant paediatrician.”
Dr Li is working from the consulting suites adjacent to the main hospital alongside long term paediatrician Dr Joseph Tam. Dr Tam also has an ongoing connection with Monash University as the Year 4C Discipline Leader in Children’s Health at the School of Rural Health Gippsland Regional Clinical School.
Acting Director of the Gippsland Regional Clinical School, Associate Professor Elmer Villanueva, said Dr Li’s appointment highlighted the importance of training medical students in regional and rural settings.
“Dr Li is a great example of how as a medical student and intern, young doctors are able to experience the benefits and challenges of studying and working in regional areas and in hospitals such as Latrobe Regional Hospital,” he said. “More often than not this is a good experience and that encourages them to come back to work in areas such as ours.”