Sydney alumna receives Anstice MBA Scholarship for Community Leadership
Kate Woods began her career in the NSW public health system after graduating from the University of Sydney’s Master of Pharmacy in 2015 – now she has been awarded an opportunity to refine her leadership skills and take her career to the next level.
From working in Rwanda on a cardiac surgery program to her current role as Dispensary Lead Pharmacist at Calvery Mater Hospital in Newcastle NSW, Kate’s career in the healthcare industry has presented many great opportunities.
“Since graduating from the University of Sydney Master of Pharmacy program, I have enjoyed a rewarding career working for NSW Health,” she said.
After completing her postgraduate studies, Kate landed a highly sought-after hospital internship at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She continued to forge her career in the NSW public health system, securing roles at hospitals within the Newcastle area.
More recently, Kate became a part of a not-for-profit organisation committed to developing a sustainable cardiac surgery program. Kate has travelled to Rwanda twice to provide her expertise, as well as supporting the local pharmacy and nursing department from afar.
Kate said she hopes to continue sharing her knowledge and experience with third-world governments and organisations to initiate change in the public health industry.
“This opportunity has given me great insight into global healthcare and inspired me to take my career to new heights and one day share my knowledge and experience with third-world governments and organisations,” Kate said.
Advocating for parental rights in the workplace
Beyond her role as a hospital pharmacist, Kate is a proud mother of two children – Both roles she loves in equal measure. Kate has experienced firsthand the setbacks many working parents continue to face including the gender pay gap, unconscious bias in recruitment decisions and resistance to workplace flexibility.
“Motherhood has been a barrier to my career progression. Frustrated by this, I sought to raise awareness in my workplace, and with the support of the director of pharmacy, calculated our department's gender pay gap,” Kate said.
“This work was presented as an oral presentation at the National Hospital Pharmacists conference last year and was published as a feature article to celebrate International Women’s Day in the organisation's flagship journal GRIT.”
How an MBA can take your career to the next level
Securing a senior leadership role in the NSW public health system is a career step that Kate is eager to pursue. When looking at study options to take her career to the next level, she came across the University of Sydney’s Part-time MBA.
“I applied for the University of Sydney’s MBA to gain business management skills, credibility and opportunity to further advance my career in public health, and lead sustainable, universal healthcare at home and abroad.”
“I aspire to hold a leadership position in pharmacy, business manager of pharmaceutical services, or perhaps a change lead for a new hospital service. I believe the MBA and the Anstice MBA Scholarship for Community Leadership will give me the knowledge and tools to be a future leader in healthcare and reach that dream.”
The Anstice MBA Scholarship for Community Leadership supports emerging leaders in community organisations and is valued at more than $60,000 for up to three years for a student enrolled part-time.
