Celebrating International Women’s Day

Professor Wendy Brown, Director of Surgery at The Alfred, was once told by a senior doctor she was ‘too emotional’ to be a surgeon.

Even her father was concerned, saying “You feel things too much, are you sure you want to do this?”.

Fast forward to 2022 and Wendy is in one of the country’s most senior surgical leadership roles, paving the way for women to follow her into the profession.

“I’ve found a way to turn that empathy into one of my biggest strengths,” says Wendy.

“Being part of someone’s journey, whether it’s to wellness or end of life, means understanding what it means for them.”

“Never losing my humanity allows me to be a better doctor.”

“And knowing who I am and being true to myself makes me a better doctor.”

This year we’re celebrating the leading role of women in healthcare as part of International Women’s Day, at a time when women have quite literally been on the frontline supporting the community, while supporting their families.

“I think now more than ever it’s important that we support people to have more of a life outside of work,” says Wendy.

“Young women often come to me and say I want to do surgery, but I’m worried that I won’t be able to have a family, or have the time to do other things that I am interested in outside of work.”

“I would say yes you do need to make some sacrifices, but we’re much better these days at not making it a total sacrifice.”

“This is a job that challenges me mentally, physically, emotionally, technically, and spiritually every day. I don’t think many people are lucky enough to be able to say that.”

You can hear more about Wendy’s story here.