By Dr Christopher Troupis*
On Sunday, May 3, the Hellenic Medical Society of Australia (HMSA) brought together a cohort of junior doctors, dentists, and medical students for a social drinks night at a bar in Fitzroy.
The event was a great way for everyone to meet peers across all tiers of training, swap stories over drinks, and expand their networks, before continuing the evening with the time-honoured ritual of late night souvlakia.
The evening reflected a broader aim of fostering connection within the Hellenic medical community in Australia. In addition to clinical experience, there was a shared feeling of culture and community arising through language, heritage, and the notion of filoxenia.
Events such as this are able to provide a space for professional relationships to develop, allowing guests to support one another both as colleagues and as members of a wider community with shared values and lived experiences.
On the night, there was representation across the whole range of medical training. At one end of the spectrum were registrars in their respective training programs, able to offer pearls of wisdom of clinical experience and navigating training pathways. At the other end, first year medical students, just starting out on their journey.
From familiar faces to new introductions, discussions ranged from anecdotes of wild stories in the hospital, to the next Greek island to visit.
This evening was an enjoyable opportunity for members and guests to meet, chat, and form connections. Given the enjoyment of the evening, there is an appetite to continue similar events more regularly.
*Dr Christopher Troupis is a Radiology Registrar, HMSA Board Member and Editor of Hygeia Newsletter
