Introducing Dr Marion Leighton - MBBS, MRCP, FRACP, PGDipClinEd.
Dr Leighton graduated from medical school in Newcastle-on-Tyne in the UK in 1998 and gained her MRCP (Edinburgh) before moving to New Zealand. She completed her advanced training here and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). She completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Clinical Education at Auckland University.
Marion has practiced as a Consultant Physician at Wellington Hospital since 2007. She has taken leadership roles in clinical governance, laboratory testing and the development of clinical IT systems.
Marion continues to work in Acute and General Hospital Medicine, she holds an additional post in palliative care at Mary Potter Hospice, Wellington and has done since 2011. She is a clinical lecturer with the University of Otago Medical School teaching undergraduate medical students.
Marion is also part of the Wāhine Connect matching band working with us to ensure we are connecting mentees with mentors that are best placed to support.
What led you to pursue a career in medicine?
Curiosity, my love of being with people, the intellectual challenge of working out what's wrong and making a difference every day.
Working in Medicine allows me to live my values of community, integrity, equity.
What do you do to maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Community work, zero waste, time banking, charity, vegan catering, Quaker meetings, mentoring others, peace and climate activism, creating recipes and writing a health and nutrition blog.
I enjoy getting out and being in nature, tramping and leading a tramping group.
Advocacy is a big passion of mine, lobbying local and national government on the impacts of health transport.
Te Reo Māori and psychology relevant to medicine are favoured learning areas and playing scrabble with my mother who is living abroad.
All of these contribute to giving me balance and fulfilment.
What tips do you have for those just starting out in a career in medicine?
You need to love health, to be curious about disease and people and want to make the world better through healthcare. Otherwise, you'll burn out.
Base your decision on values. If you want money, intellectual stimulation, status etc - there are lots of other jobs you can do.
Why do you think the Wāhine Connect programme is a valuable resource for women working in medicine?
Connecting with others helps us realise we are not alone and that many before us have been through similar situations.
It enables women to connect with different mentors at different stages of their careers. I love both the Journey and Jump programmes that Wāhine Connect offer.
Sometimes you need a long term mentoring relationship and sometimes just some sound advice and Wāhine Connect can facilitate that.
