If you’re a patient at Mackay Base Hospital you may run into one of the region’s rising medical stars; she may even help with the birth of your child.
Dr Remi Sayre works as a doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology at the hospital in a job she says is demanding but rewarding in multiple ways. She is currently completing her training to be a GP Obstetrician, or a doctor who delivers babies in the bush.
Remi grew up in Boyne Island, a small town near Gladstone, and studied at James Cook University. She was sent to Mackay in 2020 to complete her final two years of medical school.
Her now fiancé Nick ended up following her, recently popping the question. So Dr Remi decided to stick around.
“I love the fact that Mackay is big, but not too big,” she said.
“We have such great beaches, and I love the fact that in the hospital, everyone knows everyone.
“I’ve wanted to be a doctor ever since I was little. My mum had a stroke when I was in year 12 and seeing the teams that supported her really solidified my plan to go into medicine.
“I’m working in obstetrics and gynaecology and on an average day I may deliver babies, perform caesarean sections and minor gynaecological procedures, see patients in antenatal and gynaecology clinics and of course my favourite part, meeting the babies.”
At 25, Remi has been with Mackay HHS now for most of her career and considers it is a great place to live and work, especially for anyone considering a career in health.
“I’ve seen the Mackay obstetrics department over the whole spectrum as a student, a junior doctor and now as a trainee,” she said.
“It’s such a good department, really well run and our new Director of Obstetrics at Mackay Base Hospital has really brought the team together here.
“It’s a great place to work. I feel like we all function together as a solid team. Our midwives are beautiful and so skilled.
“Another good thing about living here is that I can be out shopping and I’ll bump into children and families that I’ve helped to deliver, and that’s really lovely.”
Remi recently won an award from the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland, recognising the completion of her Prevocational Rural Generalist Training.
“The award was to mark the completion of my pre-vocational rural generalist training, I had to complete multiple courses and meet criteria which means I can now move into more advanced training,” she said.
“I’d say to anyone thinking about getting into this field that you have to have a passion for it. It can be relentless, but I find it so rewarding.
“The impact that you make on people’s lives in so profound. Delivering someone’s baby or helping someone through a really tough time, knowing that you made that process and their life a little bit easier…that’s what I love most.
“It’s great that we can tackle most things here in Mackay, helping to minimise patient travel.
“The hospital is a great size and with so many people coming to this region, there are expansion plans to meet that growing demand on our health service.”
