‘No limits’ to upskilling with WACHS

Dr Yehuda Levy is a District Medical Officer (DMO) proceduralist working in the Kimberley region for the WA Country Health Service (WACHS).
 
Originally from Brisbane, Dr Levy studied medicine in Perth before taking rural placements with WACHS in Kalgoorlie, Karratha and Bunbury. He went on to study anaesthetics and emergency medicine in Perth before relocating to the Pilbara and then Broome.
 
‘When I first started working for WACHS, something I noticed about rural practice was the fact that there are much fewer specialists,’ Dr Levy said.
 
‘In the city, everyone is highly specialised but, in the country, you get to try your hand at everything which is both challenging and rewarding.
 
‘It’s kind of like being a handyman, if that makes sense. You never really know what you will be presented with next.
 
‘Those early years with WACHS really cemented my decision to specialise in anaesthetics and emergency medicine, which I may not have done if I hadn’t experienced rural practice.’
 
Dr Levy has now been working as a DMO proceduralist in the Kimberley for more than 11 years.
 
‘I feel like I will never truly stop learning,’ he said. ‘I am always trying to upskill and keep my knowledge up to date and WACHS has been such a great employer in that respect, they really support professional development and provide the funding and time to make it happen.
 
‘Working in a rural location gives you exposure to so many different fields of medicine. It has really challenged me clinically and I have been able to learn a lot from my specialist colleagues who are excellent in their fields.’
 
In his current role Yehuda works within the emergency department, administers anaesthetics for surgeries and procedures, practices general medicine in the hospital wards, and facilitates teaching programs with medical students and junior doctors. He says although it is busy, he would not have it any other way. 
 
‘I feel very lucky to have a role which is so varied, I get to practice in all the fields of medicine that I am passionate about,’ Dr Levy said.
 
‘No day is ever the same, I always come across something that interests me medically.
 
‘Last week in the emergency department, a patient presented who had been in a bad car accident. He had punctured a lung and was having trouble breathing.
 
‘Air started entering the lung and his whole body started to swell up. It was 3.00 am and it all happened very quickly, but luckily I had a great team with me. We intubated and relieved the pressure in his lung and had a very successful outcome.’
 
Dr Levy wants other doctors to experience what it is like to work in rural medicine and encourages them to come and explore the regions within WACHS, saying there is a job for everyone.
 
‘I would say if you’re interested, just come and see if you like it,’ he said. ‘There is so much to learn, it is an exciting place to be and if you want to become a proceduralist, there is so much scope to explore the possibilities of whichever specialty interests you.
 
‘Don’t be afraid of being thrown in the deep end, you are never alone. There are always other doctors you can refer to and an amazing telehealth system which connects you directly to a specialist with one click of a button.’
 
To find out more about working with WA Country Health Service please contact the WACHS Medical Recruitment Team or visit the medical vacancies page for current opportunities.
 
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rural rural generalism WA Country Health Service