Changemaker- Tammy Kimpton

Doctor Tammy Kimpton is a Tasmanian Aboriginal woman from the West Coast. She works in NSW as a GP registrar, living with her husband and three children in the Upper Hunter. Tammy is the current president of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA)– the peak national body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Doctors and Medical Students. 

AIDA is a Not for Profit organisation that advocates for improvements in Indigenous health in Australia and encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work in medicine by supporting Indigenous students and doctors.

This week we profile Tammy in Changemakers- a weekly column which examines inspiring people and their careers in the Not for Profit sector.

What are you currently working on in the organisation?

AIDA is about to launch a collaboration agreement with the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC), which contributes to closing the gap in life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians, by training more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specialists, and improving the way that all medical specialists treat Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

What drew you to the Not for Profit sector?

I have had the benefit of watching AIDA evolve throughout my medical career. I was a first year medical student when AIDA was incorporated, and have had support and mentoring from AIDA throughout medical school and through my early post graduate years. I felt that stepping into a directors role was an important way of giving something back to the organisation which has provided me with so much support.

What do you like best about working in your current organisation?

I am incredibly proud of how much AIDA has evolved during its 15 year history, while staying true to our original intention to provide support and mentorship to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Doctors. AIDA has been working collaboratively with partners including Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand and the Confederation of Post Graduate Medical Councils to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students and doctors, and to improve support for those medical students and doctors through their training. This latest collaboration agreement with CPMC provides us with partnerships across the spectrum of medical education.

I consider my greatest achievement to be…

My family, I have a wonderful husband and three gorgeous children. They are my motivation and support in all that I do.

I’m always being asked…

If I find the amount of travelling that I do tiring… and the answer depends on the day! I actually feel very lucky to have the opportunity to travel and meet a lot of new people.

What are you reading/watching/listening to at the moment?

I'm currently re reading Terry Pratchett's Disc World series. I have them on my iPhone, which means that I always have some reading material on hand. I enjoy considering the numerous ethical issues which are raised in the books through a light hearted lens.