Rebekah Hoffman
BIO
Medical Doctor in general practice, PhD candidate, Senior Lecturer in medical education at University of Wollongong (Australia) and a mom-of-two.
Twitter: @bekhoffman
Rebekah Hoffman
“I take every opportunity to talk about being a GP and being a mum, and that both can be done.”
The inspiration to be university educated and a doctor came from the women in my family. My grandma was a university librarian, so we spent our early years being taught the importance of books and having an education. My mother is a veterinarian, a single mum and business owner - and she is determined, compassionate, stubborn and strong. She showed us that women can and should be independent and can have a family and a career.
Medicine followed an undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy, then I spent a few years and a few post-graduate degrees working out where my interests lie.
I loved everything, so family medicine (General Practice, GP) suited perfectly. I am able to care for pregnant women, babies and patients reaching the end of their lives, and the variety is incredible.
I had my babies at the beginning of my general practice fellowship training. Actually, my boy was born the day I was due to start specialist training. It impacted my training by taking a little bit longer and my making me such a better doctor, more compassionate, more kind and always having more time for new mums.
Since this time well, everything has taken longer than expected, my PhD remains part time and with an end date that looms. Recently, owning the practice as a small business I work in means that I can support and drive a team of compassionate doctors, nurses and support staff to work together to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.
I often get asked “who is looking after my kids while I’m at work” with my answer being I can’t do this alone, it’s my incredible husband and partner in life. That is my family’s stay-at-home dad that has meant I can take all of this on.
Teaching the next generation to love and be able to see what an incredible career this is also drives me. I take every opportunity to talk about being a GP and being a mum, and that both can be done. This led to my research interests. I am a current PhD candidate researching motherhood and medicine and the barriers and supports that doctor mums experience.
Finally, my children, William (6) and Isabel (5), are so inspiring. It has been a huge year juggling all of the above with children, COVID homeschool and lockdowns.