Letters of Inspiration: Nov 29th, 2010

Date: Mon, November 29, 2010 5:04 pm
To: “info@kathymagliato.com” <info@kathymagliato.com>

To whom it may concern,

My name is Katherine and I’m a first year medical student from Australia. I have literally had no sleep overnight after picking up Dr Magliato’s book “Healing Hearts” from the library yesterday and I just wanted to pass on my congratulations to the doctor herself if possible.

This has been one of the few books I have managed to finish this year due to my hectic university schedule, but it has been one of the most moving, inspirational and simply amazing books I have ever read. I’ve never been completely sure of which medical field to enter as the areas that interest me are mainly transplant surgery, orthopaedics and emergency. Unfortunately, I’ve always been discouraged from these areas because they are really the ‘boys clubs’ of medicine here in Australia. Despite the fact that half our medical class are female, my male friends constantly tease me about whether I’m going to choose O&G, paeds or general practice, because I’m female and that’s what we’re supposed to do. I’ve also constantly had guys ask me what type of nurse I’m going to be – because they honestly think that in medical school, the boys become the doctors and the girls become the nurses!

I am seldom an emotional person, but I was close to tears while reading the book! Dr Magliato is such an inspiration to women everywhere and I have urged the other girls in my class to read her memoir, so they too can see that we’re not destined to be shafted into the more “female friendly” medical specialities like the boys tell us.

So Dr Magliato, thank you for breaking the mould, thank you for never giving up and thank you for fighting so hard, so that girls like me have a chance at following their passion in life too.

Warmest regards,
Katherine