Profile - Professor Judith Whitworth
Interviewed by Anna Robinson
(26 October, 2001)
Professor
Judith Ann Whitworth, AC, DSc, MD, PhD, BS (Melb), FRACP is currently Director
of the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR), Head of the High Blood
Pressure Research Unit (JCSMR) and Howard Florey Professor of Medical Research
at the Australian National University in Canberra, ACT. She is also President
of the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia, Co-Chair of the WHO/ISH
Guidelines Global Advisory Committee on Health Research and a Member of the
WHO Global Advisory Committee on Medical Research.
Judith graduated in Melbourne from the University of Melbourne, where she was
also awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1974, a PhD in 1978 and a
Doctor of Science in 1992. She has practised medicine and carried out research
extensively in Australia and overseas. On the 11 June, 2001 Judith was made
Companion (AC) in the General Division, Order of Australia for service to the
advancement of academic medicine and as a major contributor to research policy
and medical research administration in Australia and internationally.
Previously she held the [positions of:
· Chief Medical Officer, Cwlth Dept of Health and Family
Services, 1997-1999
· Professor of Medicine, University of NSW, 1991-99
· Head, Dept of Medicine, St George Hospital, 1991-97
· Deputy Director, Dept Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 1990-9
· Honorary Consultant since 1991
· Professorial Associate, University of Melbourne, 1987-91
· Visiting Scientist, MRCH Blood Pressure Unit, Glasgow, 1985
· Naturalia et Biologia Fellow, Tenon Hospital, Paris, 1985
· Chairman, Board of Postgrad Education, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 1983-91
· Nephrologist, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 1982-91
· Physician, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 1978-81
· NHMRC Scholar, Howard Florey Institute, 1975-77
· Visiting Registrar, Guys Hospital, London, 1974-75
· Research Fellow, Tenon Hospital, Paris, 1973-74
· Senior Registrar, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, 1972
· RMO/Registrar, Royal Melbourne Hosital, 1968-71
· Councillor, International Society for Hypertension,
since 1992 and Vice· President 1998-2000
· President, High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia, 1999-2001
· Chairman, NHMRC Medical Research Committee, 1994-1996
· Nominating Committee, International Society for Nephrology, 1990-93
· Councillor, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 1984-93
· President, Australian Society for Medical Research, 1984
· Royal Australasian College of Physicians Medal, 1994
· Howard Florey Medal, 1990
· Smith Kline and French Award, International Society for Hypertension, 1984
· Winthrop Travelling Fellowship, RACP, 1973
· Life Member, Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology, 2000-
· Member, WHO Advisory Committee on Health Research, 2000-
Judith, you have a distinguished career history that reflects continued
great achievements, particularly for a woman in your time.Were there any
specific self-motivating factors in your life?
I had polio when I was a small child. This shaped my interest in medicine and
how research could improve health. I couldn't walk for two years and had to
have several operations to correct deformities. I did read a lot at that time.
Did you experience and overcome any particular hardships or, conversely, do
you think you were particularly privileged in any way?
Dealing with the polio was sometimes hard. But when you are young, you accept
things and just go along with what is needed and make the most of things.
As to privileges - I do consider myself very lucky to have attended college at
Janet Clarke Hall while I was at the University of Melbourne. College life was
just wonderful and I made a number of life-long friends.
Are there any aspects of your career that have been particularly fulfilling
at a personal level?
With respect to medicine, feeling you may have helped patients is very high on
any list. One thing working in medicine brought home to me was that often, the
most grateful people were those we did least for. It showed me that people
feel about things differently, and how they feel relates more to their
attitudes and expectations than anything else.
As for scientific research, it is good knowing that our early work on protein
restriction and converting enzyme inhibition in chronic renal failure has
helped delay or prevent people going on dialysis. I'm also pleased about the
international guidelines for hypertension - that work has the potential to
improve outcomes for a lot of people world-wide.
Do you have any comments on the present culture/histories of
women-in-science compared to women-in-medicine?
My childhood hero was Marie Curie (along with Don Bradman). I loved the way
she got in there and did so much. I think that both science and medicine are
good careers for women because one's colleagues focus on your science or
medicine first, rather than your gender. In medicine particularly,
difficulties for women relate to time and commitments. I didn't feel the
discrimination that other professional workers complain of because there was
so much more focus on the job. In fact, my experience was quite the opposite.
When my daughter was born, my male colleagues took me off the on-call roster
which meant they had to do more work. They were very kind and supportive.
I was also influenced by Priscilla Kincaid-Smith, who has combined enormous
professional success with bringing up three children very successfully as
well. Priscilla is a greatly distinguished physician and medical scientist.
She was a great inspiration to me. (Please see Professor Kincaid-Smith's
wonderful story on the Academy of Science web-site,
http://www.science.org.au/scientists/pks.htm Ed.).
Would you like to share any special stories, experiences, ideas and/or
suggestions with WISENET Journal readers?
I think I was lucky to have established a career before having a family and I
admire young women who manage to have families while getting qualifications
and careers on track. Problems for women in both medicine and science are more
societal than professional. In any competitive environment, time out will set
anyone back. Until that is dealt with, anyone in that situation will carry a
handicap.
The need to take time out makes some women make choices of career versus
family - men usually don't have to do this although I am very aware that
single fathers do have the same sort of problems. It is important to recognise
that these problems exist for anyone in this situation and we need to be
creative in thinking about how we, as a society, can resolve them.
I have no time for the culture of complaint. If people see themselves as
victims, they behave accordingly. I see the problems of women in medicine or
science as problems for society as a whole rather than just for women. We
can't afford as a society not to make use of our best minds. Women also have
some advantages that men don't - men have societal needs and demands as well.
It shouldn't be a "them and us" culture. We're all in it.
Overall, I think academic environments are very positive places for women.
Universities have a real commitment to EEO. I'm also impressed by the capable
women in the Australian Public Service but puzzled as to why we don't have
more women as departmental heads. I hope that will turn around before too
long.