Legend has it that Dr Annie Kilpatrick has been spotted in heels with her scrubs as she goes to a delivery of a baby in theatre.
It’s one of the many strings in Annie’s bow.
But Annie had to learn to walk in those heels – and the medical field - before she learned to run.
After a stint of work experience in a completely different field and seeing her mum study nursing, Annie, who is now a Paediatric consultant, was drawn to medicine.
“I was sitting in the supreme court, listening to a case and I was more interested in the drugs and how they interact with each other,” Annie said.
From there, Annie worked her way through her medical degree with multiple stints in Bendigo.
But she wasn’t ready to settle in Victoria just yet, with her work taking her to Laos and then to Alice Springs.
It was this work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that lead to the other side of her work in Bendigo.
When not at Bendigo Health, Annie works with the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC).
“I have a passion for ensuring the Aboriginal communities have the same access to important health care as everyone else,” she said.
“Outreach work is a different set of skills to the acute medicine I do (at Bendigo Health), but I can use both sets of skills in both places.
“It’s a nice mix.”
For Annie, it’s not just important to care for her young patients, but the families as well.
“It can be a challenge, but it’s all a part of it,” she said.
“I like to have a holistic approach to my care and a part of that is caring as much for the carer and helping navigate what can be a tough time for them.
“Sometimes you’re looking after a child for a long time, so I enjoy getting to know them and their families.”
If you want to be your best with us, visit https://careers.lmhn.org.au/
Read more Be Your Best stories at https://bendigohealth.org.au/beyourbest