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Roslyn’s second act: the path to a fulfilling career is not always linear

Publication date
Thursday, 5 Jun 2025
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Many parents may look to restart their careers as their children grow older, but how many are willing to sign up to a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program with the view to working in psychiatry.

Growing up in rural NSW, Roslyn Smithers chose big city living and a career as a telecommunications engineer when she first left home. When she decided to start a family, the rat race of city living became less and less appealing.

“We got to a stage in our lives where I wanted to embrace my role as a mum and we wanted a treechange for ourselves and our children,” Roslyn explained.

“So, when my husband had the opportunity to transfer to a role in Canberra, we looked for a rural property. I stayed home to raise the kids, studied for a psychology degree and volunteered when I could.”

Whether it was volunteering at her children’s school, at her local church, or helping to answer phones at a breastfeeding helpline, Roslyn enjoyed helping others and being part of community.

“Through my volunteering, I became particularly interested in mental health. I encountered quite a lot of new mothers who had post-natal depression when I was working the breastfeeding helpline.”

“Couple breastfeeding challenges with other socio-economic issues such as isolation or financial hardship, which are often faced by new mothers, and it’s easy to understand how a person’s mental health can be adversely affected,” Roslyn added.

Knowing she had helped a lot of people through her volunteering, Roslyn wondered how much more she could do if she had formal qualifications and turned her passion for mental health into a career.

“It has all fallen into place for me – albeit later in life than for some of my colleagues – but now, I’m on the path towards psychiatry,” Roslyn smiled.

As a rural student, currently undertaking a year-long placement in Goulburn through the Rural Clinical School, Roslyn hopes to apply her professional qualification as a psychiatrist in a location that helps support her own rural community.

“I would love to continue to give back to rural communities, especially my own,” Roslyn said.

This article was first published by ANU School of Medicine and Psychology.

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