After growing up on a sugar cane farm in Sarina and nearly 30 years after beginning his medical career in Mackay, Dr Adrian Wescott has welcomed a new role of Clinical Director of Surgery with Mackay Base Hospital.
Dr Wescott spent three years at Mackay Base Hospital once completing his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree with the University of Queensland, where he found his passion.
“I did two rotations in surgery as an intern – I knew it was for me pretty quickly,” he said.
“Surgery is something I can do to fix someone, and people get better as a general rule.”
He then transferred to Townsville Hospital to garner more surgical training, with time spent in intensive care and neurosurgery.
Completing training with the Royal Australian College of General Surgery and a Fellowship with the Brisbane Mater Hospital in breast and endocrine surgery, Dr Westcott returned to Mackay Base Hospital in 2008.
His new role will be overseeing urology, neurosurgery, vascular, ENT, ophthalmology, and general surgery, with a priority being to attract more surgeons to the region.
“Mackay is competing with other areas for doctors, so we need to highlight that our region is an enjoyable place to bring up a family and that there are a lot of career opportunities here,” Dr Wescott said.
“Mackay is becoming stronger and more self-sufficient in what we provide.
“This is a five to 10-year plan. We’re playing a long game. And there are certain things you can only change when you are sitting in the chair,” he said.
Dr Adrian Wescott grew up on a sugar cane farm in Sarina and welcomes new responsibility. Photo supplied
