Pasifika Health Leaders Webinar: “The importance of sharing our successes and failures”

Samoan paediatrician, Dr Fiona Perelini MBChB, FRACP is passionate about medicine and lives by a simple mantra.

“Each time I consider a key decision, I ask myself if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life? This question has guided my decisions over the years.
So, in my current role - I love what I do. I love seeing children, I love looking after them and I love working with the various medical teams –in Samoa and New Zealand.”

Dr Perelini is based at Auckland’s Starship Hospital and has spent time working with the paediatrics ICU unit and is currently a Paediatric Cardiology Fellow.

Raised in Samoa, Dr Perelini came to New Zealand to study medicine in Dunedin and Wellington, graduating in 2003.

“I loved science at school, and if you love science and if you love working with people, then you are likely to be interested in a career in medicine,” she says.

Since graduating from medical school, Dr Perelini has enjoyed working in various paediatric roles here in NZ and overseas in Sydney, Melbourne and Samoa. One of these roles has been leading a ground-breaking pilot study for a screening programme designed to detect rheumatic heart disease in children aged between eleven and twelve years old.

Dr Perelini will be one of the guest speakers at the upcoming Pasifika Health Leaders Webinar hosted by the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA). She will share her career journey and hopes to inspire Pacific students who are currently studying at medical school to be open to different medical specialisations.

“The reality is that when you’re first starting out after your studies, you don’t know what is possible and can be unsure about what options are available to you. It is important for our Pacific Island students and trainees, to see others who have gone before them who work in different medical fields.

It is important to hear stories from Pasifika doctors, to hear their successes and their failures because it is not an easy road. Sometimes at the start of your career you can be disheartened and discouraged with your work and progress. It’s always good to talk to those who have walked the road before you and hear their advice.”

Dr Perelini says she will share about why she loves working in paediatrics and will encourage the students to consider specialising in this area after they finish their studies.

“I want to expose Pacific trainees to different areas in medicine. But I do have a passion for paediatrics. I strongly believe that the more Pacific doctors we have in this area, the better. I want them to understand that the road maybe long, but if you’re passionate about it and remain focused, then anything is possible.”

The upcoming Pasifika Health Leaders Webinar is on Wednesday 14 October 2020. It starts at 5pm, with opening remarks from the president of the PMA, Dr Kiki Maoate ONZM FRACS, followed by a facilitated discussion with Dr Perelini and her fellow colleagues, Dr Ella Nicholas and Dr Maryann Heather.

Please join the session in person at one of the designated hospitals or campus locations or tune in online via zoom. Please see the following link for registration and webinar information including details of locations and zoom link: http://pacifichealth.org.nz/membership-task/

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