When Marcin Skladaniec started working as a groundskeeper at Lockhart River’s medical clinic in the early 2010s, he never knew he would go from having a green thumb, to being able to medically treat thumbs.
Now working as a doctor at Mareeba Hospital, Marcin said it was never too late for people to consider a career in medicine, particularly in rural and remote parts of Australia.
‘I started off mowing grass, stacking shelves and all the things you do when you’re living in a remote community,’ he said.
‘But as time progressed, I started to get interested in medicine.’
He said living in a remote, indigenous community in Cape York, he found many male patients preferred to be assisted by another man, rather than female staff.
‘Just to help the nurses, I would do whatever needed to be done,’ he said.
‘I then became a carer for one of the elders in town, doing washing, cleaning and dressing and whatnot.’
After a few months of carer work, Marcin noticed locals not engaging with locum doctors, who were flying in and out of the community.
‘(The locals) would talk more to me as a driver, and they were trying to get my opinion on their medical care, as opposed to an actual doctor,’ he said.
‘So, I decided to get my own medical qualification.’
Graduating from the University of Western Australia with a degree in medicine in 2019, Marcin started work with the Royal Flying Doctors Service as a primary care registrar, working in Lockhart River and Kowanyama.
Starting work as a doctor at the age of 35, he said it was easier for him to relate to his patients.
‘It was harder for me to learn later in life, but in terms of being a good doctor, you benefit from all your life experiences, and bringing other skills to the table,’ he said.
Now working at Mareeba Hospital, Marcin said he loved his career change and found the value of living and working in rural communities.
‘When you are fly-in, fly-out of a community - as a doctor - people don’t engage properly with you,’ he said.
‘They don’t bother learning your name or even acknowledging you or accepting your medical advice.
‘For me, after one year, people finally warmed to me, and told me it was easier to talk to me once they knew me.
‘You have to be very much part of the community in order to provide the best care for its members.’
Learn more about medical careers with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.