In 2021, Bhaskar Narayan took the plunge to make the move from Manchester, England to Melbourne to join the team at Monash Health.
Alongside his wife, Bhaskar was ready for change and a new experience abroad.
“We wanted to gain extra training, plus see a new part of the world. Melbourne has a reputation for being a great city to live in.
“Monash Medical Centre has a big ICU, which treats patients with complex conditions including medical problems in pregnancy, which is my subspecialty interest.”
With Bhaskar’s wife also being offered a fellowship in Melbourne and their previous jobs in Manchester finishing up, they were excited about their new adventure.
When the couple arrived in Melbourne, the city was coming to the end of the last lockdown, which made some things tricky. However, Bhaskar said his new colleagues made the transition easier.
“I was very well supported by the International Medical Graduates team. Heather Zeckler, in particular, was incredible how she helped get the visa, AHPRA, and everything else sorted.”
“I also had an excellent clinical induction by one of the consultants in ICU; I felt welcomed and supported by the team at work.”
When COVID-19 restrictions eased, Bhaskar embraced everything Melbourne has to offer; taking up sport, exploring the foodie scene, travelling across other parts of Victoria, Australia, and even crossing the ditch to see New Zealand.
“Since moving to Melbourne, I have learned to play tennis, and I ran my first half marathon! I also attended the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and went to the Australian Open.”
“There are people from all over the world here, making it a fascinating melting pot. My experience of this diversity has been positive.”
A typical day for Bhaskar as an ICU Senior registrar at Monash Health begins with handover, followed by a ward round.
“The rest of the day can include assessing newly admitted patients, reviewing patients on the ward, performing procedures or patient transports, reassessing patients as their clinical condition changes, meeting with families, and supervising and teaching junior staff members.”
He said it’d been a smooth transition from the NHS in England.
“There are many more similarities than differences; pay is much better in Melbourne than in the UK. We still get homesick sometimes, but this is more about missing our family and friends.”
Bhaskar’s advice to others considering the move is to be prepared early and travel while you’re here.
“Start preparing visa/AHPRA applications early as it can take a while, and plan to travel and see as much as you can but remember that it takes a long time due to the distances!”
Ready to make your move? See current vacancies at Monash Health and learn more about what Melbourne has to offer.
