NSW Management Interns' Blog

Blog posts by NSW Management Interns of the Australasian College of Health Service Management. Views are those of the individual authors and not those of ACHSM or management interns’ host organisations or employers.


Oscar Chaffey
Oscar Chaffey

ACHSM blog

Profile: Jessica Drysdale, NSW Management Intern

Author: Jessica Drysdale

Date: July 20, 2015

Jessica Drysdale

Before applying for the program, I completed my Bachelor in Occupational Therapy, and my separate Masters in Physiotherapy and Health Policy. I previously worked as a physiotherapist at the Children’s Hospital Westmead and thoroughly enjoyed the clinical skills that it involved.

I applied to the NSW HMIP to deepen my understanding of the processes and systems underpinning the healthcare system, seeing it as a challenging but valuable opportunity to transition from practising clinician to health management.

The NSW HMIP provides me with an opportunity to gather practical experience, while developing my knowledge in a variety of settings within NSW Health. It’s also a chance to build on my clinical experience as a physiotherapist and apply my theoretical knowledge attained during my Master of Health Policy. Throughout the program, I hope that the experiences I go through will provide me with further knowledge of the policies, processes, systems and financial influences that impact the decision-making within a hospital and the NSW Health system as a whole. I also hope that it will provide me with the chance to contribute to the health profession as a skilled, high-potential, entry-level health service management professional.

The Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) works with clinicians, consumers and managers to design and promote better healthcare for NSW. To date, the ACI has provided me with wonderful and engaging experiences. From attending executive meetings to developing models of care and consensus guidelines, every day holds something new, exciting and challenging.Attending and helping to coordinate symposiums, forums and health redesign schools gives me unparalleled insight into the innovative world of health. Experienced and knowledgeable health managers who are willing to share with you their wisdom and provide you with opportunities to participate in their work also surround you.

Following from these opportunities, I embarked on an international study tour as a part of the Clinical Excellence Commission’s Ian O’Rourke Scholarship for patient safety for which I was encouraged to apply by my managers and directors.

Outside of the placement organisation, the program has allowed me to undertake a Master in Health Administration (La Trobe University) and have access to professional development and mentoring from experienced members in the health arena.Perhaps most importantly, I personally enjoyed the opportunity to develop a network of friends and colleagues – amid my cohort as well as through previous trainees with whom I collaborate. I am still unsure of exactly where I will be at the end of the two-year program. However I can say without any uncertainty that it was definitely the best move I have made for my career to date. 

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