March 8, 2024Every encounter with Associate Professor Wanda Stelmach, Chief Medical Officer at Northern Health, provides an opportunity to learn and be inspired. This morning’s encounter, where Wanda spoke to guests attending Northern Health International Women’s Day Breakfast at Mantra Epping, was no different.
Very giving of her time and expertise, Wanda has made an enormous contribution to Northern Health, to the medical profession, and to all those who have been privileged to work with and learn from her.
Her time working across PANCH and Northern Health spans 30 years, and recently Wanda announced that she will be stepping down from her role as Chief Medical Officer as she begins to transition to retirement, leaving some very big shoes to fill.
Let’s discover more about Associate Professor Wanda Stelmach….
Q: Wanda, as is customary with our staff profiles, let’s cover the most important question first, your coffee order, please?
A: Small soy flat white extra hot – I like coffee very hot and water very cold!
Q: You recently completed 30 years of service at PANCH/Northern Health. What have been some of the major highlights over the years?
A: The transition of PANCH from Preston to Northern Hospital in Epping in 1998 was amazing. It was done in over a day with theatres starting up the next day – which wasn’t such a great idea as we were situated next to an open tip (where Riverlee is now building) and with no fly-screen doors, we had flies in theatre – lists were cancelled, and a fly was sent in formalin to pathology. A report followed – I wish I still had a copy of that!
Another major highlight for me has been watching the evolution of Northern Hospital, from a small community provider of care to Northern Health, a tertiary institution which challenges the majors yet keeps that ‘small town feeling’ which is why I think Safe, Kind, Together resonates with staff. Northern Health really came into a league of its own when we managed thunderstorm asthma and later, how we managed the pandemic. I am really proud of how staff came together and worked together to support the community and each other – the can-do attitude took effect, and we haven’t looked back!
Q: What does a day in the life of Northern Health’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) look like?
A: Well, it could be a day of back-to-back meetings and interviews, or it can be quite a clear day administratively, but things do pop up! And Fridays are always breast clinic! It’s varied and interesting work because of my interactions with staff from across the whole health service and the community. People who are enthusiastic, want to see Northern Health succeed and have such brilliant ideas!
Q: What have you enjoyed most about the CMO role? And what will you miss the most?
A: My wide portfolio has been challenging and interesting. Junior and Senior Medical Workforce, Pharmacy, Outpatients, Pathology, Radiology, Library, Research and Education – all report to me. There have been massive changes in all of these areas. I have enjoyed the challenges because of the staff, patients, families and communities I interact with. I will miss the breadth of interactions, however, I will continue my work as a breast surgeon and as Medical Director NEMICS, as well as, continue teaching medical students and co-supporting my RMIT research students, so there will be plenty of opportunities to catch up.
Q: The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Count Her In: Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’. Who invested in you and how did this impact your career?
A: My parents were the first to invest in me as well as in my sister and brothers. At home and at school, it was an equal playing field academically and with housework. My clinical mentors, especially Hamish Ewing and David Butterfield, who I met at PANCH, taught me that although medicine is extremely fulfilling professionally, there needs to be life outside to make a person a well-rounded empathic clinician. My husband and my children have also been amazing support, although my daughter once accused me ‘of loving my patients more than I did her’, as I rushed back to the hospital late one evening!
Q: Your parents taught you the importance of an education and that ‘if you had an education, no one could take it from you’. Why is the investment in education so important, particularly for women?
A: It’s like the saying, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Once you have a skill, you can use it to leverage a better life for yourself, your family, community and society. Such programs as SEWA Bharat in India support women to become self-employed. Education grows aspiration so that women feel empowered to apply for what are considered non-traditional roles. The more there is diversity in employment, the more we recognize the benefits of moving away from gendered roles – diversity is better for the individual and for society.
Q: Why is mentorship, and finding the right mentor, so important?
A: A mentor and mentee getting together to discuss their area of interest is so beneficial for both. The mentee gets insight into career pathway and choices made, and by challenging what in effect is a historical pathway, brings the perspective of the current generation to the table and gives the mentor a different view of the world. Sometimes one mentor is enough. Other times you need a mentor to support different aspects of your life. And the needs of both change over time, but the value of that interaction never ceases.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time? When you’re not on call that is……
A: My husband and I are working on a native garden at our weekend getaway in Gippsland – so lots of reading, trailing plants and working with the local land care group. We love going to art galleries together and we love doing our own thing. For me, it’s our apartment balcony garden – very proud of the fact that I grew a great summer crop of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and basil all in large pots! I love framing – anything – for myself, my family and friends – I love the challenge of creating a piece of art while at the same time working with my hands.
Q: What’s next for Wanda Stelmach? What does retirement look like?
A: It’s not retirement! It’s a reconfiguration of my life with a big dose of flexibility! I will continue supporting the Northern Health community through my breast and my NEMICS work, especially in the area of cancer services. I plan to continue to teach medical students, support my research candidates and mentor. And I will be able to focus on being a better archivist for the Newhaven Yacht Squadron and bring their archiving into the 21st century, as well as complete their 60-year history as a coffee table book – the 50-year history is an e-book on their website. I plan to enjoy the luxury of writing poems, just for my own pleasure! Reading. Tapestry. Travel. I intend to be busy, but different busy! Apologies to anyone I have made jealous – your time will come!
Wanda was also a special guest on this week’s episode of Visiting Hours, Northern Health’s podcast, where she shares many more key insights and personal stories. To listen to this podcast, click here.
