Meet Dr Weaver from the NT’s Gove District Hospital

Supporting the foreign-trained medical graduates who are completing their two-year internship across the various specialties.

“The interns are preparing for the next couple of years of working remotely in the provinces, often with little supervision or support. The seven-week anaesthetics placement they all do as part of their internship is the sum-total of their clinical anaesthetic experience. At the end of the term, they will be expected to be competent in procedures such as spinal anaesthetics and intubation (a level of responsibility unthinkable in Australia at this stage of a career!).

“We are working together to provide regular tutorials on the theory of common anaesthetic concepts, and each Friday we take time to practise the skills they’re learning day-to-day in theatre. Last week, we did an airway workshop, where they practised basic and advanced airway manoeuvres, including placing laryngeal masks and intubating a dummy. We also had the privilege of using a donated video-laryngoscope to aid with teaching (allowing everyone to see what the intubator is looking at as they try to obtain the perfect view without damaging teeth or lips). Delivering oxygen saves lives!

“There was lots of laughter and big smiles, and this week, I’ve watched them nailing airways in theatre; it’s great to see their confidence growing.”