IWD: ‘You are enough, believe in yourself’

‘I chose general practice, or maybe, did it choose me?’
 
South Australian GP Dr Jenni Goold has accomplished a lot in her long and successful career in healthcare.
 
She was RACGP SA GP of the Year for 2024, has been lead medical advisor for the statewide GP Obstetric Shared Care Program for two decades, and is a consultant in pregnancy care.
 
A senior medical educator, she also sits on the RANZCOG Professional Standards Committee, is an investigator in several clinical trials, and was central to South Australia’s COVID-19 response.
 
‘I was very interested in lots of different aspects of medicine and general practice offered a little bit of everything, so it just seemed like a really good place to begin,’ Dr Goold told newsGP.
 
‘I worked a lot in mainstream general practice, and from there I was the only female GP within a certain distance, so a lot of women found their way to me, so I needed to form some expertise and skill set in addressing that patient need.
 
‘Along came counselling other women’s health, pregnancy care, and so then more women find you because you establish a reputation in those areas.’
 
And as she moved forward with her career, Dr Goold said she could ‘see this enormous opportunity’ for GPs to become a greater part of women’s pregnancy journey for women.
 
‘I work as a consultant within the Women’s and Children’s Hospital here in Adelaide and provide pregnancy services, and that conduit, that connection, or that GP-liaison role between what’s happening out in the community and what’s happening in the hospital and ensuring that best birth journey and experience for women,’ she said.
 
Dr Goold will be sharing her story at the South Australian leg of the RACGP’s International Women’s Day event series, joined on a panel by State MP Connie Bonaros, and Premier’s Council for Women Chair Fiona Dorman.
 
Just like the rest of the world, things took a turn when the COVID pandemic struck, and it would go on to reshape Dr Goold’s career.
 
‘I was approached about leading a team of GPs in South Australia to provide that COVID care, which again, was a fabulous opportunity,’ she said.
 
‘Again, GPs were positioned well and so we managed providing healthcare, telehealth, video calls to over 1000 patients a day in hotel quarantine and community quarantine, so that was a very different role.’
 

Dr Goold has been lead medical advisor for the statewide GP Obstetric Shared Care Program for more than two decades.

This International Women’s Day, gender gaps are still apparent across Australia, including in healthcare, both for medical professionals and for patients.
 
This is something Dr Goold knows all too well.
 
But as she looks ahead to the next generation of doctors embarking on their careers, she has one message – ‘absolutely believe in yourself’.
 
‘Support others to do the same, advocate for other women and inspire them to be all they can be, and that they are absolutely enough,’ she said.
 
‘If I could go back to myself walking out of medical school, I think my advice would really be along the lines of, “you are enough, believe in yourself”.
 
‘We need to encourage that and then we will see more women taking leadership roles, being up there, making a difference, and changing that perspective of adding value to the healthcare perspective.’
 
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘March Forward’, and RACGP events are taking place across Australia and online from 5–11 March; proudly supported by Major Partners, Gedeon Richter and Bayer.
 
Find out more about the speakers in your state and secure your spot now.
 
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