MEET DR. ANNA FRANCIS.

My name is Anna Francis and I am doctor at the Queensland Children's Hospital, working in the kidney unit.

Editor's note (Because Anna is extremely humble). Anna is paediatric nephrologist and clinician researcher at Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH). She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney on the long-term outcomes of chronic kidney disease in children and adolescents, and a Master of Medicine in Clinical Epidemiology.

My research focuses on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in children. It is a devastating condition with significant impacts on health and quality of life. Children with kidney failure face a 30-fold higher risk of death compared to their peers. My research aims to improve long-term outcomes for children with CKD by addressing critical knowledge gaps.

The children, seeing how amazingly resilient they are. They can have these really difficult periods, but they are still smiling and happy. I see our role as doctors at the hospital to try and clear all the barriers that we can, so these kids can get back out there and live their best lives

We know that woman make up less than 20% of senior positions in research and medical administration. Despite the fact that since the early 2000s, more than 50% of medical or science graduates are women. We know it's not that there aren't enough women in the field. Instead, we can see that they get to a certain level and then find it hard to progress. This can be for lots of different, individual reasons, although we can see that there are systemic barriers that women particularly face.

When you are in a caring role, juggling multiple responsibilities, caring for either children or parents, and also doing clinical or research work, it gets really tricky. In the past this hasn't been represented or acknowledged. Recently that has begun to change, and is something the Mary McConnel Career Boost Program has really focused on. Helping woman to address and work past the structural barrier (whether it be using the grant for extra daycare or outside support) for them to feel supported and move forwards in their career.

I think the grant has a really positive impact on women with families or thinking about starting their own family, because they know they'll be supported. I think women worry about falling behind due to family responsibilities and there are multiple ways we can address it. One way is by targeting structural barriers, like this grant DISSH is supporting through the Children's Hospital Foundation. Although it's also about impacting more than just that one recipient, it's about normalising work life balance and having your children as a part of your life. The more women that are in these roles and talking about things like childcare, balancing responsibilities and having children on your lap during meetings, opens up the door to normalise it for everyone else. Paving a path forward and the flow on effects just keep going.

Feel completely comfortable in being yourself. A lot of the time it's about being comfortable saying no. To carve out the space that you want for yourself is what I would like to see all women do.