Doctor shares unexpected life lessons

Melanie Underwood wanted to become a doctor who "would save the world" – but life has, in her words, thrown a succession of curveballs.

NowDirector of Emergency MedicineTrainingat Brisbane's Greenslopes Private Hospital, she is also a solo mother raising two young daughters following the death of her partner two years ago.

Her life story has become part of a book by 20 female doctors from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and Canada, which entered Amazon's best-selling charts in a number of categories on pre-sales ahead of its 18 July release.

Each doctor contributed a chapter to 'Medicine Women', an anthology of stories and letters about their healthcare experiences.

Dr Underwood wrote adeeply personalaccount of her trip to Swaziland at the age of 30, working in third-world conditions ata hospital where 90 percent of the patients hadHIV/AIDS and needles were disposed of in a cardboard box.

"When I heard about it, I knew I had a story to tell from my time in Africa," said Dr Underwood, who was invited to contribute through a post on a Facebooksupportpage for women doctors who are also mothers.

It also meant revealing her vulnerabilities – which she continues to do on a daily basis in the emergency department.

"I thinkmy vulnerability is what makesme popular atGreenslopesPrivate Hospital with my patients,"Dr Underwood said.

"I think they actually really like my honesty. A lot of cancer patients come through our department and I tell them Ihave been along this journey as well asacarer, and they really embrace that."

Dr Underwood'spartnerColin was also an emergency physician, but sadly succumbed to cancer following his treatment at Greenslopes.

Nowraising their daughters, aged four and six, she is passing on her experiences to the junior doctors she trains at the hospital.

"It's important to admit life doesn't always work out the way that you want it to," Dr Underwood said.

"Wetend tohave a very set mindset early on about where wewant togo and what we want to do, but life does throwcurveballsandyou have to adjust your thinking.

"Sometimes it is good to put yourself outside your comfort zone. I feel like Ihave led many lives–ithas taken many twists and turns, none of them were expected.

"I started out with rose-coloured glasseswanting to be a doctor who would save the world, andclearly that is not what happened. I did my best."

And Dr Underwood is doing her best to instil that attitude in the young people she trains – stay open-minded and you may end up taking a completely unexpected journey in life.

"Youneed ambition anddrive and some sense of whereyou want to go,but don't close your mindto otheropportunitieswhich may lead youto a pathway to other things," she said.

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