Patient Contact Patient Contact CareersCareers

Naomi CoxNaomi CoxProduct Specialist and Territory Product Specialist and Territory

Manager-Manager-St Jude Medical AustraliaSt Jude Medical Australia

St Jude Medical AustSt Jude Medical Aust

Global company manufacturing Global company manufacturing cardiology productscardiology products PacemakersPacemakers Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators

(ICDs)(ICDs) Electrophysiology cathetersElectrophysiology catheters Heart valvesHeart valves StentsStents

St Jude Medical AustSt Jude Medical Aust

Currently work in Cardiac Rhythm Currently work in Cardiac Rhythm Management DivisionManagement Division Assist cardiologists/cardiac surgeons with Assist cardiologists/cardiac surgeons with

pacemaker or cardiac defibrillator implantspacemaker or cardiac defibrillator implants Pacemaker follow-ups and clinicsPacemaker follow-ups and clinics Education of doctors, nurses and cardiac Education of doctors, nurses and cardiac

technologisttechnologist Patient educationPatient education Business role-responsible for a budget (big Business role-responsible for a budget (big

one!)one!)

Career pathCareer path

Always wanted to be a doctor!Always wanted to be a doctor!

Did well in VCE-interview for med at Did well in VCE-interview for med at Monash but did not get in…Monash but did not get in…devastateddevastated

Decided to do BSc (Biomedical) and Decided to do BSc (Biomedical) and later (?) transfer to medicinelater (?) transfer to medicine

Career pathCareer path

BSc (Biomed)BSc (Biomed) AnatomyAnatomy PhysiologyPhysiology

Why did I decide to do these Why did I decide to do these subjects?subjects?

Because both subject interested me! Because both subject interested me!

Career pathCareer path How did I find my first job?How did I find my first job?

Through a friend of a friend of a friend….Through a friend of a friend of a friend….

Ask your friends, family, colleagues - use Ask your friends, family, colleagues - use your contacts!your contacts! register with employment agencyregister with employment agency read newpapers/employment websites and read newpapers/employment websites and

send out resumessend out resumes

First job was as a dialysis technician at First job was as a dialysis technician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (renal the Royal Melbourne Hospital (renal failure patients)failure patients)

Career pathCareer path

Dialysis technician for 18 months and Dialysis technician for 18 months and decided I wanted a changedecided I wanted a change

Accepted to do medicine but declined Accepted to do medicine but declined the offerthe offer

Looked at internal employment board at Looked at internal employment board at RMH and decided to apply for a cardiac RMH and decided to apply for a cardiac technologist position without knowing technologist position without knowing anything about the job.anything about the job.

Career pathCareer path

Thoroughly enjoyed area of Thoroughly enjoyed area of CardiologyCardiology interpret ECGsinterpret ECGs analyse holtersanalyse holters stress testsstress tests tilt table teststilt table tests haemodynamic monitoring in catheter haemodynamic monitoring in catheter

lablab pacemaker and defibrillator checkspacemaker and defibrillator checks

Career pathCareer path Poached by pacemaker companyPoached by pacemaker company Role at St Jude:Role at St Jude:

Clinical Support SpecialistClinical Support Specialist Product SpecialistProduct Specialist

In this work I use both anatomy and In this work I use both anatomy and physiology knowledge learned at physiology knowledge learned at universityuniversity

Also need to be aware of latest studies Also need to be aware of latest studies and clinical trials in arrhythmia and heart and clinical trials in arrhythmia and heart failure management so need to know how failure management so need to know how to interpret scientific papersto interpret scientific papers

Typical dayTypical day

Day 1 post operation checkDay 1 post operation check Find patient on the hospital wardFind patient on the hospital ward Have a chat to patient and ask how they Have a chat to patient and ask how they

are feeling and answer any questions are feeling and answer any questions they may have (usually there are many!)they may have (usually there are many!)

Perform pacemaker check using Perform pacemaker check using programmerprogrammer

Call implanting physician with results Call implanting physician with results and inform nurse looking after the and inform nurse looking after the patientpatient

Pacemaker implantPacemaker implant

Meet patient in trolley bay outside Meet patient in trolley bay outside theatre or cathlab and talk them theatre or cathlab and talk them through what to expect from through what to expect from operationoperation

Prep patient for surgery and help set Prep patient for surgery and help set up labup lab

Discuss product to be used for the Discuss product to be used for the patient with doctorpatient with doctor

Pacemaker implant Pacemaker implant Cont…Cont…

Be the Be the ‘eyes and ‘eyes and ears’ for ears’ for the doctor the doctor whilst whilst he/she is he/she is implantinimplanting. g.

Pacemaker implant contPacemaker implant cont If implanting a defibrillator induce If implanting a defibrillator induce

arrhythmia and shock patientarrhythmia and shock patient Check the device post operatively to Check the device post operatively to

make sure leads have not movedmake sure leads have not moved

Patients with pacemakers/ICDs must come Patients with pacemakers/ICDs must come for follow-ups on a regular basis ~6 monthsfor follow-ups on a regular basis ~6 months

Follow up is done in conjunction with Follow up is done in conjunction with physicianphysician

Pacemaker/ICD clinicPacemaker/ICD clinic

Other dutiesOther duties

Education for nurses/techs/doctorsEducation for nurses/techs/doctors

Sales calls to implanting physicians Sales calls to implanting physicians and inform them of latest technologyand inform them of latest technology

Pre and post op checks for major Pre and post op checks for major operationsoperations

Clinical trialsClinical trials

Future prospectsFuture prospects

Started a Master of Public Health at Started a Master of Public Health at Alfred Hospital (Monash Uni, Alfred Hospital (Monash Uni, Melbourne Uni, Deakin Uni Melbourne Uni, Deakin Uni consortium) to learn more about consortium) to learn more about clinical trials clinical trials

3 year course part-time3 year course part-time

Take home messageTake home message

Not getting into medicine was not the Not getting into medicine was not the end of the world for me!end of the world for me!

There are many other career options There are many other career options that can be just as rewarding that you that can be just as rewarding that you may not even know about or have may not even know about or have considered.considered.

Be creative when looking for a job Be creative when looking for a job and do not have preconceived ideas! and do not have preconceived ideas!

Talk to people, ask questions.Talk to people, ask questions.