Community responds to challenging stereotypes

Tuesday, 28 August 2018

The celebration of 40 Years of Medicine at UON will continue on 5 September with a sold out keynote lecture by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Nikki Stamp.

Nikki Stamp

In her keynote lecture, 'I Look Like a Surgeon', Dr Stamp will explore issues of gender equity in the medical work force, including in her own specialisation of surgery, and will discuss what needs to be done to address the under representation of women in these fields.

In Australia, USA and the UK, only around 10% of surgeons are female despite now over half of medical graduates being women.

Being one of only a handful of females in her field of medicine, Dr Stamp is an active supporter and mentor to women not just in her own field, but across different careers.

She is involved in a social media campaign #Ilooklikeasurgeon - a movement based on the idea that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. Its aim is to make visible these gender role models to show women everywhere that gender is not an obstacle to achieving your career.

“The fact that the lecture is sold out is testament to the importance of the work Dr Stamp is doing in challenging the stereotype of a surgeon,” Dean of Medicine Professor Brian Kelly said.

UON has always been at the vanguard of changing what medical students and ultimately medical practitioners look like.

Our distinct teaching and clinical framework has attracted a diverse student cohort who are willing, and capable, of driving excellence in health care intervention due to the extensive skills, perspectives and networks that their diversity brings.

“We have never been afraid to do things differently if it means the best possible outcome for our alumni and ultimately the communities they serve,” Professor Kelly said.

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