Marlize in one of her hand-knitted creations
Marlize on the job
with TE
S
FI
VE
MINU
Dr Marlize Alberts
Marlize is an SMO in the emergency department at Waikato Hospital and is Vice President of ASMS’ Waikato Branch. She trained in South Africa and came to New Zealand in 2006. What inspired you to get into your field of medicine? I have always wanted to be a doctor, at least since I found out that girls could become doctors! My love affair with emergency medicine began with first aid training in primary school. I guess it is the variety and unpredictability that appeals to me, and of course the adrenaline! I did, however, opt out of specialist training. The study doesn’t scare me, but the pressure of competing for training positions and the nomadic lifestyle of a registrar just put me off. So, I work as a MOSS at Waikato ED. I am currently working on the Emergency Medicine Diploma through ACEM. What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? The biggest challenge over the past few years has been short staffing in the face of growing patient numbers. We see more 24 THE SPECIALIST | MARCH 2022
than double the number of patients that we saw six years ago. Patients also tend to be older, with higher acuity and more complex pathology. What do you find rewarding about your job? When people come to the emergency department, they are generally having a pretty bad day. My aim is always to try and make a terrible experience a little less bad. Getting a half smile from someone who was crying a little while ago is a good feeling! I also love the technical part of my work, like getting a good reduction on a broken wrist or putting a complicated wound back together. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the health system? Besides Covid-19? Inadequate funding. We are expected to deliver first class medical care, but Governments do not want to pay for it. I am afraid I am a bit of a socialist,
I do not believe that health should be reserved for the wealthy. It should be universal, appropriate and tax funded. I believe that the country can afford anything we prioritise. As someone said: we have the health system we pay for. What keeps you happy outside work? My husband and my cats! I read A LOT, and I make stuff. I sew, knit, quilt, crotchet and do embroidery. I have also taken up pottery in the last year. Doing something creative is a physical need for me, like eating and sleeping. It also forces me to slow down and to let go – accepting little imperfections as part of the process. Why did you want to be involved with ASMS? Being involved with the union gives me a voice. We all struggle and complain about stuff to each other; being able to express these concerns to the people at the top is quite empowering.
