It wasn’t the conventional path to becoming a rheumatologist, but Professor Catherine Hill has found her career journey extremely rewarding. 

The immediate past president of the ARA joins In Conversation podcast this month and shares candid insights about her life, career and what it meant to win the 2022 Parr Prize. 

“I was delighted to be the recipient, but it's a body of work over many years. And it's also not just my efforts, it's really a team effort. I have a fantastic team that I work with, the radiology research group at the Basil Hetzel Institute,” Professor Hill says. 

A strong advocate of mentoring, Professor Hill also provides some coaching tips on how to handle giving feedback. 

“If I've agreed to take on a PhD student, I enter a pact to be open and supportive to them, also asking them what I could do better if they are struggling - asking what could we, as a team, do to help them if things are starting to fall behind,” she says. 

Professor Hill says mentors are necessary even for mid or later-career rheumatologists who might be reflecting on the next stages in their career. 

“Maybe sit down and think about where your priorities are for both your career and your life and what you really want to concentrate on. Find a colleague who you can have an honest conversation with. I still have some mentoring myself some time,” she says. 

You can listen and subscribe to the show by searching for “The Tea Room Medical Republic” in your favourite podcast player. 

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