Healing Chat with Dr. Victoria

From Army Medicine to Hospice Care, Community Medicine & Teaching

In this episode of Healing Chat by Tolicious, created by Cass Uk, Sam sits down with Dr. Victoria for a conversation about medicine, service, hospice care, community healthcare and finding purpose in an unexpected career path.

Dr. Victoria's journey has taken her from working as an army doctor, through GP training and humanitarian work, into hospice and palliative care, community medicine and eventually education.

Despite the different roles, one thing has remained consistent: her desire to serve people in a meaningful way.

From Army Medicine to Hospice Care

Dr. Victoria began her medical career in the army before training as a GP. Her humanitarian experiences during this period left a lasting impression on how she viewed medicine and the type of doctor she wanted to become.

After leaving the army and starting a family, she wanted to return to what she describes as "hearts and minds" work medicine that allowed her to connect more deeply with people.

That desire led her to St Oswald's Hospice, which became a major turning point in her career.

Working alongside specialists in hospice and palliative care allowed her to support patients and families through some of life's most vulnerable moments. The experience changed her career direction so significantly that she never returned to general practice.

The Privilege of Community Care

Dr. Victoria later moved into community-based work in Sunderland.

She reflects on the privilege of being invited into people's homes and personal spaces during times of illness and uncertainty. For her, these experiences reinforced the importance of seeing the person beyond their diagnosis.

Her story reminds us that healthcare isn't only about treatment. It's also about dignity, trust, listening, compassion and human connection.

Finding Her Way Into Teaching

Teaching was another calling that followed Dr. Victoria throughout her life.

Growing up in a family of teachers, she initially wanted to do something completely different. Yet teaching continued to appear throughout her career.

Her experiences across army medicine, humanitarian work, hospice and community care ultimately gave her valuable knowledge and perspective to pass on to others.

Dr. Victoria's journey demonstrates that our careers don't always need to follow the path we originally imagined. Sometimes the roles we never planned for reveal where we can make our greatest contribution.

In This Episode

• Beginning her career as an army doctor
• The impact of humanitarian work
• Why St Oswald's Hospice changed her career
• Lessons from hospice and palliative care
• Community medicine in Sunderland
• The trust involved in entering patients' homes
• Seeing the person beyond the diagnosis
• Growing up in a family of teachers
• Initially resisting a career in teaching
• Following your values as your career evolves

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome and introduction to Dr. Victoria
00:28 — Army medicine and humanitarian work
00:58 — Joining St Oswald's Hospice
01:11 — Why hospice care changed her career direction
01:11 — Community work in Sunderland
01:38 — Being welcomed into patients' homes
01:38 — Early encouragement towards teaching
02:06 — Family influence and resisting the teaching path

Are you following the career you originally planned, or the career your experiences are preparing you for?

Healing Chat by Tolicious — created by Cass Uk
Real conversations. Real healing.