Dr Kristina Sailah: A new mum, a new role, and a passion for change
For Dr Kristina Sailah, 2024 was a year of milestones. She sat — and passed — her GP fellowship exams, welcomed her first child, and has now stepped into a new role as a Registrar Advisor (RA) with GPRA.
Currently on maternity leave, she understands more than ever the need for better parental leave provisions for GP registrars — a cause she is determined to champion in her GPRA role.
Kristina’s path to medicine was shaped by early experiences of compassionate care.
“My first memory of quality medical care was as a six-year-old witnessing my grandmother, Maggie, suffer with lung cancer,” she recalls.
“To all her doctors, including my grandfather, Maggie was somewhat of a ‘medical miracle,’ surviving for 21 years at a time when the average mortality rate for lung cancer was not one-quarter that.
“My grandfather advocated for Maggie and made sure she had the best possible medical care. Without him, and all of the other doctors by her side, I may never have met my grandmother.
Inspired by the impact doctors had on her grandmother’s life, Kristina pursued medicine, graduating from The University of Notre Dame Australia in 2020.
She and her husband, Daniel — also a doctor — moved to the Central Coast of New South Wales for their internships and residencies, falling in love with the region and staying ever since.
However, medicine wasn’t her first career. Before studying medicine, Kristina completed a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and worked as a child protection caseworker with the Department of Communities and Justice, later becoming a parenting counsellor with ParentLine NSW. These experiences, she says, have deeply influenced her approach to general practice.
“I am passionate about issues facing women, children, and families,” she explains.
“In particular, female patients commonly experience bias or discrimination and are undervalued or disbelieved in the healthcare system. So, this is an experience I actively try to prevent in my practice.
“Many of my patients have complex home, work or family lives that prevent them from prioritising their health or that contribute to severe health anxiety.
“Because of this I always aim to give my patients a safe and empathetic environment to share their concerns, and I believe there have been a few situations where I have diagnosed a serious or life-threatening health problem that may not have otherwise been identified without such individualised care.
“Cases like these make me proud to be a doctor and especially a general practitioner.”
In 2019, she took this passion to abroad, attending the United Nations Convention on the Status of Women in New York and presenting her work on cervical screening to the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA).
She has also completed a graduate certificate in the medical and forensic management of adult sexual assault, and hopes to work as a forensic examiner for the Central Coast Local Health District Sexual Assault Service in the future.
Kristina initially considered a career in surgery but quickly realised that the hospital system wasn’t for her.
“I love medicine, but I didn’t want it to be my whole life. Choosing GP was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” she says.
General practice, with its variety, continuity of care, and work-life balance, proved to be the perfect fit.
“The most rewarding part of my GP journey is being able to prioritise my family while creating tangible change in the lives of my patients,” she says.
“I’ve met some fabulous GPs who showed me that this career can be incredibly fulfilling — not just in patient care, but also in opportunities for travel and upskilling in almost any area of interest.”
While general practice offers flexibility, the transition from hospital-based training to GP training comes with significant challenges — many of which Kristina has experienced first-hand.
“Our national population is growing and ageing, increasing the demand for GPs,” she explains.
“Yet, we are finding it more and more difficult to attract new graduates into general practice.
“This is likely due to a number of reasons, but I would suggest a major factor is the financial disincentives and loss of entitlements Junior Medical Officers face when they move from hospital to community medicine.”
While on maternity leave, she saw an opportunity to stay connected to the field while supporting her peers through their training.
With her lived experience of GP training and her background in counselling and casework, the role of Registrar Advisor at GPRA felt like a natural fit.
One issue particularly close to her heart is parental leave for GP registrars. Now experiencing the realities of balancing work and family life herself, she is more determined than ever to push for change.
“As a specialty that prides itself on family values and work-life balance, it astounds me that we do not offer our trainees parental leave,” she says.
“To expect GP registrars, some of whom are on a single income, to start or continue a family after suffering a pay cut and without access to employer paid parental leave is, in my view, unfair and implausible.”
“I know how difficult GP training can be, and I want to be part of the change that ensures registrars feel supported — whether it’s through better working conditions, fairer pay, or much-needed parental leave entitlements,” she says.
Beyond advocacy, she hopes to provide emotional and practical support to GPRA members.
“Training in general practice can be isolating at times, especially when registrars move from the structured hospital system into community medicine,” she explains.
“I want to be someone registrars can turn to for advice, encouragement, or just an understanding ear.”
Despite her many professional ambitions, Kristina’s ultimate dream is a simple one.
“My, perhaps naive, dream would be to own a little cottage practice on the Coast with my husband.
“Somewhere close to the water with a small garden just big enough for a few chickens and a table to eat lunch on. Preferably with a café next door. Is that too much to ask?” she laughs.
For now, she remains focused on making an impact — both in her role as a doctor and in her new role at GPRA.
As both a new mother and a passionate advocate, Dr Kristina Sailah is determined to help shape a future where general practice truly supports the doctors who dedicate their lives to caring for others.
