Dr Ranjana Srivastava - Monash Doctors Education

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I joined Monash Health as a consultant in 2005, not realising the somewhat unorthodox but exciting loops and turns my career would take!

I am a medical oncologist throughout the year and a general physician for part of the year, working between the East Bentleigh and Dandenong campuses. Oncology represents the ultimate combination of the exciting science and the undeniable art of medicine. I appreciate the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of society’s sickest people.

I made a deliberate decision to keep doing General Medicine because I think it makes me a better doctor. The skills I have gained through being an oncologist are readily applicable on the medical ward and the broad knowledge that general medicine forces you to maintain is very valuable in treating cancer patients. I would encourage all trainees to consider combining their speciality with general medicine.

As a member of the council that advises the Health Commissioner of Victoria, I find that this kind of broad experience of the healthcare system comes in handy. I have been writing since I was five years old. I started keeping a journal when I was 11 and have never looked back. Human beings connect with each other through stories and what I do is I take stories from my career and try to convert them into universal messages for people. I started by publishing in the New England Journal and eventually found a publisher in Penguin, who have published 3 books and are soon to publish a 4th. Writing helps me makes sense of who I am and what I do. I love to notice the number of doctors and others who talk to me about how to become a writer and am always glad to help.

I am now a regular columnist for The Guardian Australia and present a regular health segment on ABC Breakfast Mornings and Radio National’s Life Matters as well as appearing on ABC 774 on Jon Faine’s The Conversation Hour. Medicine doesn’t really teach you media skills but a producer gave me the best advice when I began. ‘Imagine someone having a cup of tea and listening to you at home. How can you succinctly make your point to this person?

I actually think this is great advice for all doctors. How do we get across to people before they become patients? How can we use the wealth of our experience to become advocates? The Latin root of doctor is docere which means to teach. I am fortunate to work with so many talented people who believe in this mission of medicine.