In the lead up to our event next week I’m delighted to interview one of our most esteemed Panelists Dr Mei Ling Doery
Mei is a physician entrepreneur, public health expert, speaker and independent medical advisor (CSIRO, DVA, ADF). She is the co-founder of MixApp (Genie Health Pty Ltd) and Founder of MDMD. She has been a Board Member of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Team Doctor for the Richmond Football Club Reserves and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Mei is passionate about health empowerment and believes in the importance of aligning commercial incentives with long term human value, community and environmental sustainability.
Mei, what made you follow a career path into health?
Ultimately I’m fascinated by people and both my parents are in healthcare, my mother is a qualified ICU and surgical nurse delivering babies. My Dad is a doctor who specialises in the chemistry of the human body, he is the head of clinical pathology at Monash uni.
However this was not the reason for me to move into healthcare, It all began when I was a little girl of 14, I really liked art and mathematics and one day I decided I wanted to go and work for Nasa. So I decided I’d call them and ask! Mum and Dad had locked the phones for international calls, probably as I’d made a few here and there.
So I decided I needed to pay for this call, so I broke into my piggy bank and went down to the street to the 7/11 to buy a phone card. On my mission to call Nasa I checked the time zones and waited for the right time to call. One afternoon armed with my calling card I snuck into Mum and Dad’s bedroom to call Nasa (My brother and sister were making noise watching TV and I wanted to be taken seriously), so In my best voice, I asked how I can get a job working at Nasa?
The lovely old man on the other end of the phone changed my life- he said “listen kiddo if you want to work for Nassa you need to be either an Engineer, a Scientist or a Doctor. If you want to be an Astronaut you should look into being an Engineer”. Right there and then I thought, well I don’t like labs, or oil, I like people so a Doctor it would be! I knew my path, each day I packed my bags to school dreaming of being a Doctor to Astronaut and on the side I thought I’d be a florist.
So I decided I needed to pay for this call, so I broke into my piggy bank and went down to the street to the 7/11 to buy a phone card. On my mission to call Nasa I checked the time zones and waited for the right time to call. One afternoon armed with my calling card I snuck into Mum and Dad’s bedroom to call Nasa (My brother and sister were making noise watching TV and I wanted to be taken seriously), so In my best voice, I asked how I can get a job working at Nasa?
Tell me about your career to date, what does the title of Physician Strategist mean?
I’ve always worked more than one job! I’m drawn to complex challenges and strategic thinking. What really flicks my switch is working out how to move people towards a thriving life – myself included.
Throughout my career, I’ve been involved with technology. In parallel to my medical degree, I did a year long research degree looking at the commercialisation of spin off technology from the manned space program. As a student I won an internship to be the information architect in for the first online learning platform for doctors (doctors.net.uk), after graduation I picked up a side hustle creating the first SMS service to promote fertility and reproductive health in Singapore “daily tips to promote fertility health, plot your cycle, have children”.
Locally, I was appointed to the board of VicHealth(Victorian Health Promotion Foundation) from the age of 26-31. At the time I was the youngest Ministerial appointment and I suspect the only person who could touch type : ) In this role, I took the digital tool that helps people quit smoking into the Chinese market, with the support of then PM and later the foreign minister Kevin Rudd. China is home to the largest population of smokers in the world, they don’t have universal health care system so prevention is very important when there is no safety net. Because of this work, I was invited by Queen Rania of Jordan to become World Economic Forum, Young Global Leader.
Since my 20’s my clinical exposure has included working as a civilian medical officer at Victoria Barracks, as team doctor for the Richmond Football Club’s reserve team, as a Registrar in Emergency Medicine, and later Medical Officer for the Department of Veteran Affairs. My time with the football club was a very happy one – it was my first time working for individuals who were so committed to their nutrition, performance, and well-being. Compared to working in a hospital it is like day and night. It was also a lot of fun.
A few years down the track from Tigers, Bupa put out a call to doctors to work with them in supporting organisations at a senior level. I was appointed the Executive Physician for Melbourne, in that job we looked after the top end of town, C suites executives in supporting them in providing health checks, advice and preventative medical advice. Then through a twist of fate I found myself working for a Venture Capitalist building a tech platform for behaviour change – in this case and app designed to create on demand meet ups to get active.
Today I’m passionate about mentoring and support the Global Shapers Community(https://www.globalshapers.org/), supporting a group of under 30’s that are connected to the world economic forum, committed to advancing social progress and creating a fairer world. And I’m on the board of the Chisholm Institute and Chisolm Online – as education needs transformation!
Most recently I teamed up with Dr Peter Brukner the ‘father of Sports Medicine’ to establish SugarByHalf (www.sugarbyhalf.com). We both see the consumption of sugar the number one preventable threat to health. We are on a mission to get Australia to cut its sugar intake from 24 to 12 teaspoons. We reckon this will cut billions from the sick care budget and go a long way to helping reduce long-term health issues like diabetes, obesity and mental wellbeing.
What are some of the trends you are seeing with regards to health, well-being and balance, that alarm you?
People are digitally connected but deeply emotionally disconnected.. we have globalised the world, we have made it possible to be in touch all the time- that doesn’t translate into meaningful reciprocal sharing – broadcast isn’t functional communication.
I also believe we have sold the ownership of our basic human needs, we have built huge industry food manufacturers that do not have a deep accountability for the people they serve. We have used our body and this planet like a credit card….Sadly we have sold the future which is not ours to sell!
You can live a short life that is meaningful or long life that is painful and disconnected, living a long time is not enough .. you need to have a life that is filled with meaning, connection and pleasures!
What are some of the trends you are seeing with regards to health, well-being and balance, that alarm you?
People are digitally connected but deeply emotionally disconnected.. we have globalised the world, we have made it possible to be in touch all the time- that doesn’t translate into meaningful reciprocative shaping- broadcast isn’t being connected.
I believe we have sold the ownership of our basic human needs, we have built huge industry food manufacturers that do not have a deep accountability for the people they serve. We have used our body and this planet like a credit card.. Sadly we have sold the future which is not ours to sell!
You can live a short life that is meaningful or long life that is painful and disconnected, living a long time is not enough .. you need to have a life that is filled with meaning, connection and pleasures!
Come and meet Mei, by joining next Wednesday the 13th September @Digitalwomensnetwork
September 13th 2017 and learn more about her tips on helping you to find a balance .
Limited tickets remain https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/find-a-balance-and-improve-well-being-with-digital-womens-network-tickets-35401306260
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Cheers, Angela Mellak CIM
Director and Strategist of Digital White Space
Co-founder of Digital Womens Network
Level 2, 287 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
M: +61(0)466 619 631
https://digitalwhitespace.com.au
L: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/angela-mellak/15/931/922
“Your smile is your logo, your personality your business card and how you leave people feeling after they dealt with you becomes your trademark”.. Angela Mellak
A few years down the track from Tigers, Bupa put out a call to doctors to work with them in supporting organisations at a senior level. I was appointed the Executive Physician for Melbourne, in that job we looked after the top end of town, C suites executives in supporting them in providing health checks, advice and preventative medical advice. Then through a twist of fate I found myself working for a Venture Capitalist building a tech platform for behaviour change – in this case and app designed to create on demand meet ups to get active.
What are some of the trends you are seeing with regards to health, well-being and balance, that alarm you?
Hi Mei-Ling,
Wow. What an inspiring and brilliant read. You had me at fessing up about your call to NASA.
We’ve met a couple of times – l now better understand why I’ve enjoyed our meetings.
Thank you
Kimberly McConchie