Chinese doctors visit Mater Mothers' Hospitals

Early last month Mater welcomed Dr Lili Chen and Dr Tian Qifang as observer doctors at Mater Mothers' Hospitals. The observership program is part of an academic and cultural exchange agreement between Mater Mothers' Hospitals and its sister hospital, the Zhejiang University Womenís Hospital, Hangzhou, China.

Lili and Tian are specialist gynaecological oncologists. They observed outpatient clinics, birth suites and theatres in Mater Mothers' Hospital, Mater Adult Hospital and Mater Private Hospital for 12 weeks. Lili, who is completing her PhD in dendritic cell research in ovarian cancer, will also spend time at Mater Medical Research Institute.

Both doctors were impressed by the range of equipment at Mater Mothers' Hospitals, as well as the privacy and high level of care provided for patients. This contrasts somewhat with their experiences working in China, where population pressures squeeze health care resources.

This year, Mater staff and their families are hosting Lili and Tian in their own homes, providing a cultural experience that gives them an insight into the lives of hospital staff in Australia.

Each year a delegation of senior doctors from Mater Mothers' Hospitals visit the Zhejiang University Women's Hospital for the purposes of academic, technical and cultural exchange. Next year, it is hoped that the observership program will be extended to include midwives.