Training doesn’t have to be fulltime: Members discuss pursuing other interests while completing your training
Are you trying to find ways to carve out time for other interests alongside a full-time career in medicine? We interviewed three Avant members who were able to balance their medical work with additional interests, and pave their own non-traditional career path allowing them flexibility and variety in their work.
Tuesday, 26 August 2025
“Training is a marathon, not a sprint … everyone goes through it in their own time” - Dr Jemma Hogan
Jemma currently works as a doctor specialising in both medical administration (RACMA) and paediatric medicine at St. John of God Health Care in Perth, Western Australia. We spoke with Jemma when she was a Paediatric and Medical Admin trainee. Hear what she had to say about juggling training demands with different career interests, and how she has been able to achieve a balance between her two interests.
Dr Benjamin Vialle
Ben has maintained a dual-track career, now working as a psychiatrist and contributing in advisory roles with Avant to provide insights into complex professional and ethical issues in psychiatric practice. We spoke with him when he was a psychiatry trainee, and he described the unexpected opportunity that led him down this path.
Doctor turned entrepreneur - Dr Joshua Case
Joshua works in emergency departments while building his own tech start-up company.
Balancing the doctor-life with a young family - Dr Eleni Harman
Eleni is currently a fully qualified GP, who has been able to balance raising a family alongside training. We spoke with Dr. Eleni when she was a registrar with two very young children. She emphasised the importance of not rushing through training, having a support system, and how parenthood is shaping the kind of doctor she is becoming.
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