It Takes Heart
It Takes Heart is an unmissable podcast where healthcare workers share their honest and unique experiences from Australia’s frontline.
Discover real-life stories of passion and purpose, insight and inspiration from people on the inside and tales that are equal parts heart-warming, heart-wrenching and hilarious. It Takes Heart is co-hosted by cmr | Cornerstone Medical Recruitment CEO Samantha Miklos and Head of Talent and Employer Branding Kate Coomber.
It Takes Heart
Can a Digital Passport Fix Healthcare Shortages? Dr. Nick Yim from AMA Weighs In
What does it take to truly fix healthcare in Queensland? According to Dr. Nick Yim, it starts with smarter systems, not just more funding. In this episode, we sit down with the AMA Queensland President to unpack a bold new idea: a statewide digital passport for clinicians. It’s a simple solution with the power to break down bureaucratic barriers and supercharge workforce flexibility across hospitals and communities.
But Dr. Yim doesn’t just talk policy, he brings lived experience. His winding path from would-be pharmacist to rural GP and now state advocate, reminds us that careers (and life) rarely follow a straight line. His passion for community-led solutions and patient-first care is as compelling as his insight into what today’s doctors really need to thrive.
With topics ranging from clinician burnout to the boundaries of AI, this episode is packed with heart, vision, and practical wisdom. Dr. Yim’s message is clear: great healthcare starts with great people and with the right support, we can build a system where everyone has a chance to flourish.
It Takes Heart is hosted by cmr CEO Sam Miklos, alongside Head of Talent and Employer Branding, Kate Coomber.
We Care; Music by Waveney Yasso
More about Dr Nick's Organisations of Choice, AMA Queensland Foundation
The AMA Queensland Foundation brings together medical colleagues and the business community to deliver vital services outside those catered for by the public health system. They were established in 2000 as the charitable arm of AMA Queensland, with a mission to improve medical conditions in areas of need.
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We're forever talking about workforce shortages in healthcare, but what if one of the barriers could be really easily overcome with a very simple solution.
Dr Nick Yim:So one of the key things is trying to break down those barriers and one of the suggestions that AMA Queensland has is a digital passport. So this will potentially allow movement of clinicians and it just gives the ability to mobilise workforce on short notice, because I can appreciate that currently it takes a lot of time and effort. We can never predict when someone's unwell. I think it's really important to allow the staff or the workforce to mobilize easily and quickly. I guess getting doctors into our state isn't it?
Kate Coomber:If you're loving the conversations we're bringing to life on it Takes Heart, hit the follow or subscribe button.
Sam Miklos:From pharmacy to medicine and now as Australian Medical Association's Queensland President. Dr Nick Yim's story is one of unexpected pivots, rural advocacy and relentless purpose. Welcome to it Takes Heart, nick.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, thanks for having me today.
Sam Miklos:It's been a pleasure.
Kate Coomber:It's been a long time coming trying to get you all of us together in a room Very busy man.
Sam Miklos:Can I start with? How would you describe Queensland's healthcare system in one word right now? Challenged.
Dr Nick Yim:I think there are great challenges across the health of Queensland. But it's not just Queensland, it is across the whole country. So there are pressures in every element, and I think one of the big pressures that we've been trying to highlight is definitely workforce.
Kate Coomber:So I guess we've just come out of recent elections. We've got a shift in our own state government. We've come out of federal election lots of promises during the campaigning. I guess how will this impact healthcare more broadly?
Dr Nick Yim:I think it's great that state and federal government has healthcare on the radar, but one of the key things is government needs to listen to stakeholders that's, on the ground, to organisations, listening to the members, consumers because what we see is often is not what is delivered, and that's a great challenge because I think one of the things is we do need a sustainable healthcare structure moving forward and we can't be having workforce discussions or rebate discussions five or ten years down the track, which can be very frustrating for all that's involved.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, completely. So if we then slow it down for a minute and talk about the AMA. So for people listening, who is the AMA? The Australian Medical Association? Where does the Queensland branch fit in? What's their role and the impact they can have?
Dr Nick Yim:The Australian Medical Association, or AMA. We're the peak medical advocacy group for doctors. We advocate for medical students, doctors in training, private specialists, public specialists, general practitioners and also those nearing retirement as well. But the key thing with the AMA is we do hold the government to account. Obviously, without, I guess, that person holding them to account, we don't know where health policy would go, because ultimately we do need to, I guess, protect our patients, our community, and to ensure that we are delivering safe health care that is sustainable, moving forward.
Sam Miklos:So why did you then want to be the AMA president? Interesting, and how do you be the AMA president?
Kate Coomber:Interesting and Queensland president. And how do you?
Sam Miklos:become the AMA president.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, everyone asks me that question, right?
Sam Miklos:Why and how.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, why how?
Kate Coomber:Because I imagine we do speak to people and some people really want to be a part of the advocacy piece and some people want to help the person sitting in front of them, and that's more their passion.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, I think I was thrown into it, to be honest.
Kate Coomber:Really.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, it's one of those things that you tap on the shoulders. Oh, give it a crack. Yeah, but it's the same as how I ended up becoming a doctor. I actually never wanted to be a doctor. I didn't ever want to be a GP.
Kate Coomber:Tell us about that. So what were you going to do?
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah. So I grew up in Brisbane, obviously did primary school here, and you go through when you're young you think, oh, I might be an astronaut, might be a professional tennis player?
Kate Coomber:None of those things.
Sam Miklos:So big dreams you were like an astronaut and a professional tennis player. So you were going to be something. Yeah, maybe, maybe.
Dr Nick Yim:And then I remember vividly telling my mum when I was about 10, I said, oh, I'm going to be prime minister. I was like maybe, maybe, high performing. And then I remember vividly telling my mum when I was about 10, I said, oh, I'm going to be prime minister. I was like whoa, what's going on there? So all those kind of got wiped out pretty quickly. But my dad was a pharmacist and it's something where I thought I'll just end up being a pharmacist and take over his stores in Brisbane. But then, due to peer pressure, they said, oh, why don't you? My friends were sitting the medical entry exam and I said, sure, why not? You don't want to have regrets. So I thought, let's sit it and got a good enough score and I attended Griffith Uni down at the Gold Coast and then you start your journey as being a doctor.
Sam Miklos:And had you worked as a pharmacist.
Dr Nick Yim:I did.
Sam Miklos:Yes, right, okay.
Dr Nick Yim:So I worked as a pharmacist. I did so. I worked as a pharmacist, so I kind of know the systems pretty well, how did you feel Like if that wasn't really the dream?
Kate Coomber:how did it feel when you actually got started In medicine?
Dr Nick Yim:Yes, I think, when you're young, you try and grasp things, and I think that's one of the mottos is you take your opportunities, because I think taking opportunities is so important. You just don't know where the path will end up. And it's the same as general practice. I never thought I'd be a GP. Going through med school, going through junior doctor's years, you think, okay, maybe a psychiatrist, an anesthetist, an endocrinologist.
Sam Miklos:Again, very different from where you've ended up.
Dr Nick Yim:Exactly, and it's the same as the AMA Queensland Presidency. The main reasons why I joined was because of the corporate benefits. Oh, honestly speaking, and then you work out that policy plays such a big role and you have to be in the tent to change policy. And as you go through policy you realise that the influence that you can have with stakeholders and ideas are so important, and I guess that's how I kind of eventually ended up. Do I still know how I ended up here? Probably not, no.
Sam Miklos:When you said your journey as a doctor, I mean from Brisbane and you're based in Harvey Bay now in general practice. So did you locum around, Did you work in regional areas? To come from the city to a more regional area? Where did that journey?
Dr Nick Yim:come from. When I was in my doctorate training years on the Gold Coast, they had rural rotations, so you can choose where you want to. I guess try before you buy. I spent time out at Roma, in Tully, north Queensland, so three months rotations, also Biggerton Mitchell, and you do learn about the challenges of regional and rural practice. But then at the same time you realise the medicine is so much more complex and diverse because often you're it You're everything yeah.
Kate Coomber:Which must be very daunting when you're doing those rotations.
Dr Nick Yim:Absolutely, and as a junior doctor, it can be quite challenging, but you always felt quite supported, supported by your peers, by the community, all the above yeah, if, as an individual, you reach out to your peers, you pick up that phone, go to conferences, you network, you realize it is actually a pretty small world. You see people from around Australia and, okay, that's someone who I can reach out to and, at the same time, if you reach out to your community, may go down to the local restaurant, the gym, the local bar, you can have a yarn with them and it's quite beneficial because they are really supportive of the doctors that come to that town because they realise that they're quite short.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, absolutely, and you're a year now into your term. How long is the term as the president?
Dr Nick Yim:So the term is one year, but you have the opportunity to get re-elected for a second year, and that's the maximum.
Sam Miklos:That's the maximum for me. That's the maximum. So have you been re-elected? Are we coming up to that point? It's an election campaign for you, yeah.
Dr Nick Yim:So, as we're doing this podcast, I have been re-elected.
Sam Miklos:Congratulations.
Dr Nick Yim:So it gives me an opportunity to continue the advocacy moving forward and to set a good platform to hand over to the next president as well.
Sam Miklos:So I was just going to ask in the last year what are you most proud of? And then, what do you want to tackle then this year?
Dr Nick Yim:So definitely, without a doubt, the state government's commitment to the payroll tax exemption is a great success for Queensland. At the same time, there has been recent announcements of the GP incentives, so we know that it is a challenging landscape for doctors in training to enter general practice. So this is definitely a welcome change from a state government perspective because historically, general practice is a federal government issue. So it's quite warming to see. The other big things is obviously the engagement with state government. We all know that there are challenges across the state and what we're trying to highlight and we continue to highlight, is, I guess, the challenges that doctors face, and this is further accentuated in regional, in rural.
Kate Coomber:Queensland. Can you maybe talk about some of those challenges, like what are the things that you're hearing and seeing and what are those factors that you're really trying to trying to advocate for?
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, we know, like in Queensland, we've had mass immigration from other states and also from overseas and at the same time our population is ageing and obviously along with that increases the rates of chronic disease complications and that's unfortunately worse in the regional rural towns. So that means our doctors need to see more patients, they're seeing more complex cases, spend more time and the cognitive load. So obviously we see the adaptation of changing, I guess, bureaucracy. What we're seeing is that paperwork, obviously more notes, they must take different referral pathways, and what we're hearing is that people are being burnt out because they do need supports. We do know that most doctors probably aren't working the long, long hours that we've seen previously and they are, I guess, looking after themselves, which is great. So I've heard doctors say no, I'm not going to work full time, I'm just going to work 0.8.
Sam Miklos:And what caused that shift? Because that's like a systemic shift where they would work and work and we hear others going. Well, I mean. I'm the only doctor in the community, so I just want to keep going and going.
Dr Nick Yim:I think there's many reasons. What's led to that systemic shift? At the same time, we are hearing, I guess, increased education surrounding mental health and doctors, healthcare professionals. We're not immune to mental health challenges as well, such as depression, anxiety, stresses. We are working that high-paced, high-stress job and we are hearing, unfortunately, of colleagues committing suicide, and this is something that we do need to change that landscape. We also know that doctors who are coming through now they do cherish the, I guess, the balance. I was thinking times of family, friends and historically, occupation was an individual's identity, but I think we are seeing more of a balanced picture yeah, absolutely, across so many different professions.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, sorry, I was gonna jump in, but you go.
Kate Coomber:I was just gonna say so. Um, the attrition is a huge issue. How do we, apart from supporting them, what are the key things we need to do to assist with future workforce shortages or ensure that people are choosing medicine in the first instance, but also, from those challenges that you talked about, that people aren't aren't going to be leaving medicine, because I assume that they're great that people are catching themselves and there is a bit of a balance happening, but I'm sure that there's still a huge majority where maybe it's not the case or they don't know where the support is and they're opting out.
Sam Miklos:To your point. We don't want to be talking about workforce challenges in another 10 years, right?
Kate Coomber:Like that's a big question, you know what can you do.
Dr Nick Yim:But what are?
Kate Coomber:some of the maybe the smaller things that can really have big impact.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, I guess how much time do we have today?
Sam Miklos:Go, you go, go to you, high you go, you go. Chip High level dot points.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, I think there's. I have a good friend in Harvey Bay when I first arrived at Harvey Bay and we acknowledged that Harvey Bay it is a regional town when I first arrived, 11 years ago now. And people now are moving into Harvey Bay for not for many reasons, and one of the reasons is location. For many reasons, and one of the reasons is location so to sell or to maintain doctors in that job or that location. It's not about money anymore, okay, I think people often think, okay, we'll pay someone a squillion dollars and they're going to stay. But I don't think that's the case. We've seen this highlighted in many rural areas where, amazingly, government plus local council have been offering great packages, All sorts of incentives.
Kate Coomber:A lot of incentives which I guess might get them there, but then they make the money and leave.
Dr Nick Yim:Or they might not be leaving because of the money I think there's a need for. Obviously, you need your location, the area needs to be livable as well, and also the lifestyle, and it's something where I know in Harvey Bay, we've been negotiating with local council and stakeholders to go okay, what are things are needed? We know currently there's a housing crisis, so one of the challenges is if doctors do want to move to a town and there's no housing available, well, it's going to be quite challenging. At the same time, we need schooling for the kids, for their spouse, potentially a job as well. So it's all intertwined. But I think it's also integration into that community, if they're welcome in that community, if they have things that they can socialise and network. It's not just about food and wine, it's the whole package and the monetary value, yeah, is not just about food and wine.
Sam Miklos:It's the whole package and the monetary value. Yeah.
Kate Coomber:And what are the other associations and things in place? So if a GP was going to go to an area like that and the practice might have certain measures already in place, but what else within the community, you know, if doctors are listening or healthcare professionals who think I want to go somewhere, where do they start? How do they find those connections?
Dr Nick Yim:So I can use myself as an example. So when I chose Harvey Bay 11 years ago, I was going up there for training and I thought I'll just go up there for two years and come back down to Brisbane and I didn't know anyone up there and I thought, OK, let's join a local Touch 40 club, let's meet them. So I remember Touch 40 team had a charter boat fisherman, a solicitor, had a teacher and also a groundsman and it's something where you sit around after the game, you can talk about what's happening in town, maybe have a bit of a beer, and then at the same time you form those connections and you network. And it's something where it's not just about socialising with doctors and healthcare professionals, it's socialising with the community.
Dr Nick Yim:So, that's one thing. It's getting involved in the community but at the same time is making that effort to reach out a little bit further. Have a conversation with the local barista, have a conversation with the local restaurateur, all those type of things, because you definitely can have those connections. I love it that when I walk down the Esplanade and Harvey Bay, that when I go to my local coffee shop my long blacks are ready to go.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, they see you coming, Exactly those small little connections. What about burnout? You used to touch on that a little bit earlier. In your professional experience, or actually in your career first, have you ever experienced burnout?
Dr Nick Yim:There are periods throughout my career where you felt tired and fatigued. I'm fortuitous that I have a great support network my lovely partner. She keeps an eye on me. At the same time, I've got two lovely dogs and they're quite great stress relievers when they pat you. But it's something where I've learnt throughout time, where I think some of the warning signs for me is like when I go, oh, I'm sleeping a lot more, I'm feeling really tired, it might be a little bit snappy or stroppy. I think, okay, okay, I need a couple days off. Yeah, um, I do have the luxury, uh, being a general practitioner, being a private practice, I can go. Okay, I'm thinking wearing a bit thin, so how about I take a couple days off, two weeks in advance? So it's looking at for the warning size before it goes downhill quickly do you think more?
Kate Coomber:oh sorry, no, no, you go. Do you think more broadly, across the medical profession that there is support around, that Is there, you know, people leaning in and helping each other, or are we?
Sam Miklos:And how can leaders better support their teams? What are the signs? You hear varied things, don't you from?
Kate Coomber:working in a hospital. Very different environments across Australia. Are there some pockets where it's more challenging than others?
Dr Nick Yim:I think definitely. We've come a long way. The mentality needs to change a little bit. So obviously, historically, we think okay, I'm the only person that can do that job. Okay, I'm sick, I've got a cold, I've got a fever, but I've still got to get to work because I'm the only person that can do that job.
Dr Nick Yim:But I think the wheels are changing, it's turning and I encourage my juniors to take their sick leave If they're unwell. I want them to take that day off because I don't want them to bring their cough or cold and spread it to my nursing team or admin team. And obviously if you take that early day off, it just means that you'll be back to work earlier and it's going to be less time off work.
Dr Nick Yim:So I think that culture is changing and I think it's turning a little bit in the hospital system because historically people think, oh, if I take that day off it's not going to look good for my CVs, all those things. But that's definitely changed and I think there is definitely support out there. We've got great organizations such as Doctors Health Queensland those something who do provide support, which is amazing.
Sam Miklos:You mentioned earlier about the suicide rates in the medical community. Is it largely burnout that's been the main contributor, or are there other pressures that we're not aware of?
Dr Nick Yim:It's an interesting question and this is something where we probably do need data on, and it's not a great topic to talk about. It is challenging but, anecdotally, what we're seeing is often because we take so much weight on our shoulders, as doctors, any poor outcome or untoward outcome. Doctors, we feel guilty about it and obviously, if there aren't supports in place, such as debriefing, mental support, speaking to colleagues, it can be quite a lonely place. So I think it's something where it's really important that we have those networks and, just like any profession, unfortunately untoward outcomes can occur.
Kate Coomber:And I think in a smaller community, you often know the person.
Dr Nick Yim:Exactly, I would imagine.
Kate Coomber:which adds an extra layer of grief and managing, yeah.
Dr Nick Yim:The other big thing is obviously the regulator, APRA. So AMA Queensland, we've been working very hard with the regulator because some of the frustrations that we hear is often the delays in investigations. Because some of the frustrations that we hear is often the delays in investigations and it often can be quite challenging because sometimes doctors may not be able to work or might have restrictions in place until the investigation gets completed.
Sam Miklos:So the AMA, do you have a lot of impact? You know, after, at the minute when there's backlogs Say, we've had the expedited specialist pathway come through there's backlogs, can you influence that at all or is it more?
Dr Nick Yim:I guess it really depends what the term influence is right.
Kate Coomber:Yeah, right, do you work together?
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, we work together, we highlight the challenges and I always have a theory that transparency is key. We acknowledge that there are going to be budgetary constraints for every department, whether it be the Queensland Government constraints for every department, whether it be the Queensland government, queensland Health, apra, and money is finite. I think it's something where, if regulators can be transparent, it's going to be assisted communication to doctors and healthcare professionals.
Sam Miklos:You know. Going back to those pressures too, I was just thinking. You know, in today's world, there's feedback. You know, if patients are disgruntled, they can jump on. You know Google, today's world, there's um feedback. You know, if patients are disgruntled, they can jump on.
Kate Coomber:You know google reviews, social media reviews, restrictions and allegations you were talking about, like has there been an increase or is that? Has that always just been a problem or have you seen a real because of that?
Sam Miklos:because people are yeah, they can type it's, it's not, that was never. There was never those forums before. But you, you see that now we see them in forums now, where they're literally named don't go here, do this.
Dr Nick Yim:It's an interesting landscape, isn't it? Within the digital world, we have definitely seen an increase of complaints online that may never reach the regulator. Obviously, we also are hearing from the regulator. There are increased number of complaints, but many of those complaints never reach the doctor. They just get palmed away, which is really promising, and those are the things that we don't hear. But unfortunately, in this digital world, it's very, very easy for complaints to be made and it's unfortunately, quite difficult for the clinician involved to, I guess, defend that because, you'll ultimately be breaching confidentiality and privacy.
Kate Coomber:Yeah, yeah, that must be a huge component for people. You know how do we overcome that for people considering medicine? You know we really want people to choose this as a career. What's the future for that? How do we, how do we make sure that people feel comfortable, that it's still a very safe and rewarding career, moving forward?
Dr Nick Yim:Medicine is a great career. It remains safe, but I think there's tweaks around the edges that needs to be made. Medicine now is totally different to medicine 10 years ago, 20 years ago. Likewise, medicine in the future is going to keep evolving. It's going to keep changing. There definitely needs to be government policy changes, also to protect the public. That's really important. But at the same time, there needs to be protections against frivolous complaints, and that's going to be that. Find that right balance is going to be the most difficult thing.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, I bet you talked about menace in the future and technology and we were talking before we started about chat, gpt and I mean, is this podcast even really happening?
Kate Coomber:It is and you just mentioned there's different from 10 years ago. If you think about the 10 years ago today and then the 10 years in the library pulling out the actual physical book.
Sam Miklos:And you know now how is all of the tech advancements AI? How do you?
Dr Nick Yim:see those impacting the medical profession in the future the AI and tech advances. It's already impacting, it's already happening. So we're seeing, I guess, scribes, we see dictation, we see those things. That's already there. The biggest thing we do need to, I guess, be part of it. We do need policy to ensure that we are protecting patients, to see who's responsible. But we're already seeing, say, AI is already preliminary reading radiology x-rays, also looking at skin spots and lumps. There's already algorithms in place. We're already seeing in medical school and universities. They're adapting. They're probably using more videos as opposed to those lecture room style learning. They're using videos. They're probably using more automated type teaching. It's a really interesting landscape Moving forward. It'll be an interesting spot because I think we're moving so quickly. It's hard to predict what's going to happen five years down the track.
Sam Miklos:Is there any roles in healthcare that you see becoming redundant with the advancements of tech and AI?
Dr Nick Yim:I don't think there will be roles of healthcare being redundant because ultimately there still needs to be a decision maker under current legislation and policy. Someone still needs to be a decision maker under current legislation and policy. Someone still needs to be responsible. There can be, maybe, improvement of efficiency. So that's going to be definitely really handy because, given that workforce challenges, if we can improve scale and efficiency, that can be beneficial.
Kate Coomber:And I guess the human error component too, it could assist there.
Dr Nick Yim:I think there's elements of reducing human error, but there's something that I don't think machines or AI can predict is that gut feel that comes with experience. Yeah, okay, that hunch where, even though, when you do a test where a patient goes, oh, something's not quite right, even though all the tests come back normal, the clinician, the experienced clinician, can go hmm, something's still not quite right. Even though all the tests come back normal, the clinician, the experienced clinician can go hmm, something's still not quite right. Let's do a further test.
Dr Nick Yim:So, I don't think technology can do that.
Sam Miklos:And equally to that interaction piece as well. You know, if we're just getting results coming back going, well, nothing's wrong. But then to have that person-to-person you know patient-to-doctor interaction to see them and think let's push a little further, you can't replace that either.
Dr Nick Yim:Definitely not, and I think you bring up a really good point. It's that communication rapport, One thing that's so important and I know you have many listeners that might be coming into Australia. We do know that communication rapport is so relevant, important and also it's difficult to, I guess, teach. It's something where it's communication, it's one of those things with body language it's tricky.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, and it's also learn like you said with experience you know, so from where you were a junior doctor to right now, like picking up on those cues, and maybe that's where the AI, the research, you might fast track some, but you've still got to learn those human skills which might mean a completely different degree.
Kate Coomber:So you know if you think about the skills we need to hone in on Well definitely, and do you think with the advancements there's going to be new roles that we currently don't have new careers on offer in health?
Dr Nick Yim:I think that's already here. We've already got, I guess, people in healthcare, in medicine they're moving into, say, digital advancements, AI technology, maybe app development. Those things are already here and I think it's going to keep moving forward, Like I'm sure there's going to be an increase in robotics. For example, we're already seeing in orthopaedics and a lot of surgical specialties using the use of robotics, but more as an aid, but there may be a time when the robot will be doing the whole surgery.
Kate Coomber:Yeah, wow.
Sam Miklos:You would never sign up for that surgery.
Kate Coomber:I could just see you and be like no, so are there any other initiatives with the AMA that you're really focused on this coming year?
Dr Nick Yim:With the upcoming Queensland state budget. One of the big things that we're working on is definitely workforce, but one of the other priorities is, I guess, the ability to streamline the movement of the workforce across Queensland. What we're hearing from doctors, people who want to work in Queensland and also around Queensland, is the challenges of credentialing, and for those who are listening, what credentialing is is essentially completing all the paperwork that's needed to work in the health service.
Sam Miklos:And that paperwork is different in every region.
Dr Nick Yim:And that's one of the barriers. So one of the key things is trying to break down those barriers, and one of the suggestions that AMA Queensland has is a digital passport. So this will potentially allow movement of clinicians. So, for example, someone is working on the Gold Coast and maybe later on in a month's time they want to work, say, at Rockhampton or Mackay.
Sam Miklos:Or even in some cases it's that they're just on their holiday. They might want to do a short period of locuming.
Dr Nick Yim:Exactly and it just gives the ability to mobilise that workforce on short notice, because I can appreciate that currently it takes a lot of time and effort to get all your degree certificate, your immunisations, your references. So it's something where across the state of Queensland we are one state. It's something where it will be great if we can see a digital passport in place.
Sam Miklos:It's so true when you think about you know burnout, even in these regional areas where if a doctor needs a break it might just be a week, like there is a workforce here, that if we could get them to go out and do a week, like the impact that could have for that doctor's wellbeing, for the community. But if it feels too hard to get credentialed they're not going to want to do it.
Dr Nick Yim:Absolutely. And I know, and you know, like if it's one additional step or two additional steps, it's like people go oh no, I won't head up there. And at the same time, for the locum workforce, many of this workforce is on short notice.
Dr Nick Yim:We can never predict, when someone's unwell At the same time, it could be a family member that's unwell At the same time. There might be conferences people might need to get out to. And also, as you mentioned, is to prevent that burnout, I think it's really important to allow the staff or the workforce to mobilise easily and quickly.
Sam Miklos:What can we do to get behind that digital passport? How do we make that happen? How?
Dr Nick Yim:do we help? I think it would be amazing and I guess it's keep mentioning it. It's something where, if we can have people continue to lobby for a digital passport and it's a relatively low investment. It's something where, if we think about the time, that's needed, yeah, what's needed to actually implement it.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, obviously I don't have the full numbers, but if I think about time costs, administration costs, staffing costs, I'm sure it would probably be as a bare minimum. It would be neutral, if not positive. I was going to say it would probably have more of a positive impact.
Sam Miklos:If you think about all of the credentialing that's done in every single individual region. It could just be so much easier and we could focus on other issues.
Dr Nick Yim:Absolutely, and it's, I guess, getting doctors into our state, isn't it?
Kate Coomber:Yeah, absolutely so. You talked about what's needed in some of the rural areas to really make sure that people they come but they stay. What do you think more broadly, how can we attract doctors to the medical field?
Dr Nick Yim:Really tricky question.
Sam Miklos:Because it used to. Just before you say that, because it used to be. I know well, I'm probably showing my age now, but I know we went through it. It was such a prestigious career. It was like you were going to go be a doctor or a lawyer and then it kind of like went down the list. But there's so many new careers coming out now and also you can have multiple careers. So yeah how do you cut?
Kate Coomber:through that and also into general practice as well.
Dr Nick Yim:I think medicine is still a very attractive career for many people. So for people in high school studying in undergrad who want to enter medicine, definitely taken to arms. The variety in medicine, I think that's something to highlight. It's not just clinical roles now. There are many non-clinical roles where a medical degree can take you. So that's where the attraction Definitely. We're probably in a generation where you've just highlighted that it's not just one career anymore. Gone are the days, I suspect, people will just do medicine and do one job. They're going to diversify. They might go into maybe medical politics, they might go into advocacy, they might go into research. The world's an oyster. There's so many things that is available on option. There is still that, I guess, the respect, the knowledge available. But we're also competing against Google, the internet technology, and that's what we need to adapt. And I think the thing that we can adapt is communication. If we can adapt our communication and explain, okay, the reason why it's not X, Y, Z, Google can't say do that.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, absolutely, z Google can't say do that. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely the AMA. Then what support do they need, you know, for you to do your job well, from your members, from the community? What can we do to help you?
Dr Nick Yim:So the Australian Medical Association, ama, we are a membership organisation. There's often a saying that, obviously. So the Australian Medical Association, ama, we are a membership organisation. There's often a saying that, obviously, whilst only some of the clinicians are paying members, the advocacy work that we do do benefits all doctors. So it's something where we do need members to tell us what are the pressure points, where can we change policy so we can advocate for you, for the doctors, because ultimately, if we can ensure that doctors are well represented, they can deliver better care for their patients and that will, in turn, ensure a healthier Queensland.
Kate Coomber:Yeah, 100%. And maybe if there are doctors out there thinking, do you know what I'm really passionate about this work and maybe I could do this in the future and put my hand up at AMA, what advice would you give them?
Dr Nick Yim:Definitely put your hand up. It's something where knowing the stakeholders in the room, knowing where the pressure points are, and then we know that policy change doesn't occur overnight. It can take months to years. It might take a couple of terms to government, but knowing how we can strategise, how we can adapt and change the policies, that's crucial there. But definitely put your hand up, give me a call.
Kate Coomber:Fantastic. Yeah, so I guess with this episode, CMR are donating, making a donation to a charity of your choice. Can you talk to us about where that is today?
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, so I would like to make that donation to the AMA Queensland Foundation. So the AMA Queensland Foundation, it's a charity that assists doctors, many groups as well. So, to give you an idea, sometimes the current scholarships are for the medical students that are facing challenges, so they may be personal financial challenges and it's really beneficial because some people we know that without some of those scholarships they couldn't continue their studies and we know that we need to continue those doctors in our workforce.
Sam Miklos:Yeah, excellent. Thank you for your time today, Nick. I've got to ask one thing that didn't get. You said you wanted to be an astronaut and then a professional tennis player, did I hear that you were a professional umpire at one point or something?
Dr Nick Yim:I was actually.
Sam Miklos:So good research. No, I was just before we close out, one moment there. We missed something there.
Dr Nick Yim:Yeah, so I had a great opportunity there. We missed something there, yeah, so, um, I had a great opportunity. So when I was, I was quite a high state ranked tennis player. Um, when my teenage years and there was an opportunity to go do some umpiring, um, so you go through the local tournaments and, um around the age of 16, I ended up at the australian open down in mel Melbourne, so that was a.
Sam Miklos:Umpiring. What an opportunity, umpiring. Did you umpire anyone that we would have heard of?
Dr Nick Yim:Oh, absolutely so. I actually umpired six consecutive finals on Rod Laver Arena.
Sam Miklos:Oh, my goodness.
Dr Nick Yim:So Agassi Roddick Federer.
Kate Coomber:Wow.
Dr Nick Yim:Leighton Hewitt. Yeah, the Williams sisters.
Sam Miklos:Oh my goodness. So I mean really, like you could be prime minister.
Dr Nick Yim:I mean, if it was like I was going to be fresh? It's a tough gig. I mean, this is a stepping stone, right.
Sam Miklos:I feel like we're going to be talking to you in a few years. Can you come and talk to us?
Dr Nick Yim:Mr Prime Minister, no, no, I think, live each day as it comes. The opportunities, I think I've learned you do take them. It's something where there's never any certainties. But at the same time I have worked out that self-care is pretty important as well. So when I have the opportunities to take those short little breaks, whether it be half a day, full day, I try and get out in the water, do a bit of fishing, try and get across the Gari, the beautiful British Cynos, fraser Islands, great large sand island. So I don't know what the future holds and I don't think you want to grasp too hard on it, because you can tell that paths always change.
Kate Coomber:Yeah, that's so true. I think that taking opportunity is really a theme of a lot of people we speak to. It sure is.
Sam Miklos:Thank you, Nick. Thank you so much for your time and thank you for all the work that you've done for. Ama, queensland. It's been so great to be able to sit down with you today and spend some time, and we're excited to see what the next year ahead holds there for you Perfect.
Kate Coomber:Thank you, thanks for having me, thanks so much. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land of which we meet who, for centuries, have shared ancient methods of healing and cared for their communities. We pay our respects to elders, past and present.
