Sister Act with Dr Vanessa Mackay and Dr Martina Rodie

SISTER ACT

Sisters Vanessa and Martina are two dynamic OAs who are leading the way in Medicine in Glasgow today, as well as juggling busy family lives and finding time volunteering with charities. We caught up with them to ask about their time at the College and what they are doing now.

DR VANESSA MACKAY, NÉE RODIE (1992)

What years did you attend the College?

I attended the College from 1982-1992. I started P4 when the school was in Langside, and then moved with the Primary in P6 to the Mount Building.

What influence did your formative Jesuit education have on you and how has that shaped your life?

The ethos that a Jesuit education should be about “improvement in living and learning for the greater glory of God and the common good” has always resonated with me. My mum always reiterated the importance of making the most of your God-given talents, and the principle that we should aim to be ‘men and women for others’, definitely influenced my decision to do medicine.

Which teachers did you most admire at the College?

I really liked Mr Phil Crampsey. I did NOT enjoy maths but I got the grades I needed, thanks to him. Also, he seemed a generally nice person. I admired him for his patience and teaching skills. I also really liked Wendy Fraser, our hockey coach. An inspiration in sport.

What led you to pursue a career in medicine?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in S5, truth be told. I had taken all 3 sciences, which helped forge my decision. I knew I felt a vocational need to help others, ideally those less fortunate than myself. I visited a number of Universities, and enjoyed the community feel of medical school.

Huge congratulations on your recent appointment as the Clinical Director for Obstetrics & Gynaecology NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. What drew you to this specialism, and what is your typical day like?

Thank you. I chose O&G early in my career. I was instantly attracted by the combination of surgery, medicine and the need for empathy for a broad range of patients. It’s a fast paced, high risk specialty and I enjoy this stimulation.

I absolutely do not have a typical day! One day I might be on call for the labour ward doing complex deliveries and caring for high risk ante-natal patients, the next on call for gynaecological emergencies which involves seeing women in an A&E type scenario and possibly operating on them if required. I also run a high-risk ante-natal clinic and have a fetal sonography session to detect fetal abnormalities. I lead the Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Service on the Queen Elizabeth site and I operate in day surgery theatres in the Victoria Ambulatory Care Hospital. Now that I am the Clinical Director, I manage clinical departments and doctors in hospitals throughout Greater Glasgow and Clyde. I am responsible for strategic development and plans for the clinical department and assume responsibility of budgeting and resourcing. I plan and oversee patient care and administrative operations and programmes.

In your long experience in the NHS, what do you feel has been your greatest personal achievement?

Obtaining my PhD was a personal achievement. It’s hard work writing a thesis with a full-time Junior Doctor job, but I was fortunate enough to carry out some lab work in Australia during that time. I also spent 4 years on the Council for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, where I was responsible for furthering the College’s mission and for setting its long-term priorities and goals. This was a real honour and I met some inspirational UK colleagues.

Away from the world of medicine, what are your other passions or interests?

I’m a keen health enthusiast. I run, cycle and lift weights in the gym. I also enjoy walking the dog. I volunteer for the Glasgow Children’s’ Hospital Charity with my daughters, in whatever free time we can find. Otherwise, I do enjoy being a free taxi service for my two girls!

What advice would you give to a young Aloysian or senior pupil who aspires to a career in medicine?

Go for it! It’s a fulfilling life. But be prepared. Know what you’re getting into. You’ll need a degree of resilience to change. Medicine is a vocation with high emotional labour, where stress levels can be very high. Gain as much information and knowledge about medical school before you apply. And once you’re there, hopefully you will enjoy the process!

What are your hopes for the future?

My hopes for the future are simple. For my children to be safe, happy and kind to others.

DR MARTINA STEVENSON, NÉE RODIE (1998)

What years did you attend the College?

I attended the College from 1988-1997.

What influence did your formative Jesuit education have on you and how has that shaped your life?

My Jesuit education completely shaped my life. My time at the school taught me to work hard and seize every opportunity, no matter how difficult or challenging. I admire the Jesuit ethos of Cura Personalis, finding God in all things, and service rooted in justice and love, and I didn’t have to think twice before sending my daughters to the school. I feel very grateful that my parents chose to send me to St Aloysius’ all those years ago.

You have been President of the Aloysian Association for the past couple of years – how does this fit into your busy schedule?

I have really enjoyed being the President of the Aloysian Association and to be honest it fits easily into my schedule. The Committee is very experienced and hard-working and we all pull together when we have an event to organise. And it’s great now that the pandemic restrictions have lifted and we can get back to holding events again!

What led you to pursue a career in medicine?

I have always had a love of Science and Biology was my favourite subject at school. Then my older sister, Vanessa, studied medicine and strongly recommended it. I remember feeling encouraged that she enjoyed it so much. Before I went to University I did a GAP year in Ghana with The Young British Jesuits and helping in a school confirmed I really wanted a career in medicine working with children.

As a Consultant Neonatologist at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, what is your typical day like? Why were you drawn to working with children?

My days can be very different as I work shifts, including night shifts and weekends. Our neonatal unit is very busy and has around 50 cots. We care for premature babies as small as 1lb and also for babies with complex problems requiring specialist medical and surgical care. I can be at the delivery of a premature baby one minute and then helping stabilise a baby for an operation the next. We have a huge team of doctors and nurses and I have roles in rota co-ordination for our junior doctors, teaching and discharge planning for our babies.

Paediatrics is a very fun specialty and is well resourced compared to other areas of the NHS – as soon as I got my first job in Paediatrics I knew it was for me. I am also the Clinical Lead for The Office for Rare Conditions which is the first of its kind in Scotland – we work to put the patient to the forefront, providing information and support to all affected by rare and undiagnosed conditions.

I sit on the Scottish Government Rare Disease Implementation Board to oversee the development of the rare disease action plan for Scotland.

In your long experience in the NHS, what do you feel has been your greatest personal achievement?

My greatest personal achievement was definitely being awarded my PhD from Glasgow University in 2017. As well as my medical training, I was able to undertake some research and had the opportunity to do some of this in Los Angeles which was a welcome break from dreary Glasgow. Writing a thesis, finishing my medical training and looking after 2 small children was hard work and I was very proud on my graduation day. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my husband.

Away from the world of medicine, what are your other passions or interests?

I enjoy running and love to travel but with a full-time job and two daughters, I don’t have much free time. I’m a Trustee for The Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity which I’m very passionate about – they are a wonderful charity and I try and fundraise for them whenever possible whether it’s a sponsored run, walk or cycle.

What advice would you give to a young Aloysian or senior pupil who aspires to a career in medicine?

I would advise them to go for it! It is the most rewarding as well as challenging career and no two days are the same. It is a real privilege to care for those who are sick and vulnerable and you get to work alongside some of the most fantastic people in Medicine – inspiring doctors and nurses as well as families who face adversity and illness with great strength. Remember that Medicine is a very diverse specialty from Paediatrics to Geriatrics and from patient facing to laboratory work, there is something for everyone. Try and chat to some medical students and junior doctors if you are planning to apply and get a sense of the work which is involved.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope that my daughters are happy and healthy and enjoy their time at St Aloysius’ as much as I did. I also hope that we can continue to move forward from the pandemic and recover from the difficult times when we were all separated from one another. I’d love to stop having to wear a facemask in the hospital! Early retirement and a holiday home in a sunny country are on my wish list too but now I’m just getting carried away!