Medicine for the heart

Junior doctor couple Poppy Heffernan and Nick Thompson have their hearts in the right place.

The two budding medics decided to devote their lives to caring for others through medicine. Now in their second year working as doctors at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) following the completion of their intern year there, the two are excited about their future as physicians.

Partners for two years, Poppy and Nick met while studying Medicine at The University of Notre Dame Sydney in 2019, however the two agree it wasn’t love at first sight.

Poppy admits: “When Nick and I met, we didn’t actually really like each other that much.”

“So it was funny when we were teamed up as clinical buddies for our practical rotations. We found that we actually enjoyed each other’s company and became great friends – and I guess the rest is history,” she said.

The couple decided to make the move to Queensland to start their medical careers, both commencing as cardiothoracic interns at TPCH, one the nation’s leading heart-lung centres.

They are now pursuing their dream together with Poppy currently working in TPCH’s Fractured Neck of Femur Ward and Nick in the hospital’s Emergency Department, the second busiest in Queensland.

Nick said that he and Poppy chose TPCH because of its great educational opportunities and excellent teaching culture.

“We have the chance to learn from specialist senior doctors who are leaders in their field and very keen to mentor and teach junior medical officers,” Nick said.

“Because TPCH is a larger hospital, we get to see higher acuity patients with a range of general and complex general medical conditions.

“As a junior doctor, it’s very exciting to work in this type of environment – I learn so much every day.”

While Poppy and Nick agree that having a shared career in medicine has its challenges for achieving a good work-life balance, they value what being on common ground at TPCH offers them as doctors.

“As new physicians, every day is a learning experience with different patient situations and questions. It’s good to have someone who understands what you’re going through and can support you,” Poppy said.

“I like that I can ‘phone a friend’ who just happens to be my best friend.”