After 12 months of unprecedented pressure on our sector, coupled with uncertainty in our personal lives and at work, we wanted to start 2021 with a story of courage and hope.

We are proud to have Dr Yumiko Kadota join us for our annual In Conversations event with the launch of her book, Emotional Female. Some of you may know Yumiko’s story after her blog hit the mainstream media in 2019 because it shed light on her experiences with harassment, sexism and extreme workloads as a junior doctor as well as the mental and physical toll that ultimately resulted in her leaving her job.

At our event, Yumiko will sit down with journalist Meredith Griffiths for a frank and fearless conversation about dealing with burnout, grieving for the loss of a dream, why it’s okay to go for your career plan B, and how she is rebuilding her life with her own health and wellbeing at the centre. More broadly, the conversation will also touch on the Australian public health system and issues around gender and race in health and medicine.

As always, there will be plenty of time to ask Yumiko questions, regardless of how you’re joining us. For those attending in person, there’ll also be an opportunity to grab her book (and have it signed!), all while enjoying some good food and drinks.

We are looking forward to connecting with you – our wonderful community of women working in diverse roles across the health and medical research ecosystem – whether you choose to join us in person or via our livestream.

Dr Yumiko Kadota is a medical doctor from Sydney.

She resigned from public hospital work after experiencing burnout and now works in medical education and private health.

Her story entered mainstream media after she blogged in February 2019 about her experiences as a trainee in the health system, opening with the words: ‘I never thought I would say this, but I broke. I give up. I am done. I am handing back my dream of becoming a surgeon.’

Nowadays she’s rebuilding herself, starting with her health. She blogs on wide range of topics that reflect her various interests; eco-warrior, yogi, book worm.

Our Host – Meredith Griffiths

Meredith has been a TV and radio journalist for 12 years, mainly with the ABC but also with the BBC in London.

For the past 3 years she has been specialising in health and science news and investigations.

She is passionate about developing career opportunities for women and has been the host of our previous In Conversation events with Dr Melina Georgousakis, Elizabeth Koff, and Jenny Martin, as well as Homeward Bound alumni Rachelle Balez, Melody Ding, and Sarah Charnaud.

You can connect with Meredith on Twitter @meremuses