Orthopaedic Women's Link (OWL)

About

OWL is an advocate for women in orthopaedics. OWL aims to encourage and support women through their orthopaedic careers, from as early as medical school, through to consultant level.

OWL also seeks to create visible role models, encourage women to pursue and complete orthopaedic surgical training, address education issues, monitor gender-related matters and statistics, and providing advice to women trying to overcome work-life challenges.

Sarah Watts initially conceived the idea of OWL as an organisation to support women in orthopaedic surgery in 2008/2009. Peter Steadman, who was the QLD Branch Chair was very supportive and took the idea to the AOA Board. Sarah was advised to put together a proposal and her sister designed the OWL logo. in 2010—2011 the AOA Board approved OWL as an affiliated group.

The first OWL meeting was held in 2012 at the Sydney AOA ASM. Sarah enthusiastically printed flyers and made balloons, with Sue Liew giving the first presentation — thus, OWL was born. While OWL was recognised and supported by AOA and the membership, OWL was granted official status as an AOA committee in 2016 at the request of the OWL members. In 2018 the OWL membership voted to adopt a revised terms of reference for OWL to further establish a transparent and robust governance structure.

For more information on OWL's history, please download the OWL chapter of A History of Orthopaedics in Australia 1980–2016.

OWL is currently addressing the following issues: radiation safety and pregnancy, return to work after maternity leave, international policies and organisations of same, and looking at training problems versus gender issues.

For further information and to seek OWL’s services please email owl@aoa.org.au

OWL Essay

2024

Topic: 'The nuts and bolts of what it takes to become an orthopaedic surgeon'

Congratulations to Pooja Jeyadeva, PGY2, Bendigo Hospital VIC, for winning the OWL Essay 2024.

Read Pooja's winning essay.

We also congratulate the highly commended entries.

Highly commended:
Olivia Freeman
Medical student, Newcastle, NSW

Highly commended:
Cindy Zeng
Medical student, Melbourne, VIC

Read Olivia and Cindy's essays

2023

Topic: 'Orthopaedics — the good, the bad, and the ugly.'

Congratulations to Suzen Agharia, medical student VIC, on winning the OWL Essay 2023.

Read Suzen's winning essay

We would also like to congratulate the runner-ups:

Runner-up:
Lily Salehi, PGY5, VIC

Runner-up:
Susanna Ratnam, NSW medical student.

Read Lily and Susanna's essays

2022

Topic: 'Give me a break and I'll fix it!'

Congratulations to Saumya Chanana, 2023 intern at Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) - SA Health, on winning the OWL Essay 2022.

Read Saumya's winning essay

We would also like to congratulate the runner-up and highly commended entries:

Runner-up:
Suzen Agharia, medical student at Monash University, VIC

Read Suzen's runner-up essay here.

Highly commended:
WA: Annora Kumar, medical student, University of Western Australia
QLD: Shutong Mo, postgraduate year two, Queensland Children's Hospital
NSW: Kate Hurst, medical student, University of Notre Dame, Wagga Wagga

Read the highly commended entries here.

2021

Topic: Give a girl a hammer.

Winner

Congratulations Belinda Ong (SA medical student, University of Adelaide) for being selected as the overall winner for the 2021 OWL Essay. Read Belinda's winning submission here.

We'd also like to acknowledge and congratulate the joint runners up and highly-commended submissions:

Joint runners up

Annabel Fraser, QLD postgraduate Year 2, Gold Coast University Hospital
Sophie West, QLD postgraduate Year 4, Cairns Hospital

Read their submissions at aoa.org.au/OWLEssay2021-Runnersup

Highly-commended submissions

Sally Heading, NSW intern, Port Macquarie Base Hospital
Claudia Yarad, NSW medical student, University of Newcastle
Bree Gardoll, NSW medical student, University of New South Wales, Wagga Wagga Rural Clinical School
Helena Franco, QLD postgraduate Year 4, Cairns Hospital
Saumya Chanana, QLD medical student, Bond University

2020

Topic: Orthopaedic surgeons are born, not made.

Winner

Congratulations Kathlyn Andersen (VIC medical student, University of Notre Dame, Ballarat Clinical School) for being selected as the overall winner for the 2020 OWL Essay. Read 'The Lifecycle of the Orthopod' and Q and A.

Highly commended

A highly commended winner was chosen from each state where the highest essays were marked. Congratulations to all recipients:

Madeline Temple (NSW intern, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital)
Natasha Abeysekera (QLD intern, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital)
Evelyn Axelby (SA medical student, University of Adelaide)
Jessica Paynter (VIC intern, Bendigo Health)

2023

Topic: 'Orthopaedics — the good, the bad, and the ugly.'

Congratulations to Suzen Agharia, medical student VIC, on winning the OWL Essay 2023.

Read Suzen's winning essay

We would also like to congratulate the runner-ups:

Runner-up:
Lily Salehi, PGY5, VIC

Runner-up:
Susanna Ratnam, NSW medical student.

Read Lily and Susanna's essays

Objectives

To advocate with regard gender issues, career support, training, flexibility and educational opportunities for women interested in pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery
To provide leadership within the AOA by:
- Aiming to represent the perspective of women on all AOA committees
- Supporting the implementation of the AOA Diversity Strategy

Breastfeeding and childcare facilities at AOA events

To support our members where possible, AOA will provide facilities to assist mothers who are feeding an infant or expressing breastmilk, and to parents of preschool age children who attend AOA scientific meetings, COEs and other events.

Read the policy for more information.

Webinars

A glimpse into a career in orthopaedics

In place of a OWL SA and QLD workshop, originally scheduled for 10 July, we held a webinar for all medical students and junior doctors interested in pursuing orthopaedics. Watch the webinar.