Report from Katie Pilkington, 6th Year MRBS Scholar at the University of Melbourne
This conference was a fantastic experience and gave me the chance to learn more about O&G in the provinces, the different training programs available, and the planning underway for the future. Many thanks to Dr Bill Boyd, the Conference Convenor, and his fantastic organising team, as well as the many session presenters and the Bonded Support Program, for what was an extremely enjoyable, informative and interactive 4 days in sunny North Queensland.

What comes to mind when someone mentions Mackay? Mining? The Great Barrier Reef? Tropical thunderstorms? Bob Katter? One thing’s for sure- it’s probably not labouring women, babies or fertility. And yet that is exactly what the 100 or so delegates who attended this year’s RANZCOG Annual Scientific Meeting met to discuss, in amongst the amazing social calendar of events.

As a BSP student, I along with 18 others, was lucky enough to receive funding to attend the conference, and some of the pre-conference workshops. The week kicked off with dinner at Mackay’s Austral Hotel (with its famous 1kg steak) on Anzac Day night, before a full day of discussions surrounding lifestyle factors which influence fertility, PCOS and male infertility with provincial experts from around the country on Thursday. This was followed by a cocktail party where we had the chance to meet and mingle with other students, Obstetricians, Gynaecologists and General Practitioners and visit the many exhibitors whose wares (and copious free pens) were on display.