Get ready for an amazing chat with Karin Hammarberg, a registered nurse with 20 years’ experience as clinical co-ordinator of IVF programs. She knew from early childhood that she wanted to be a midwife and ‘cuddle babies all day long’ and her career path started as a nurse before she trained in midwifery. Her years on the clinical side got her curious about always keeping the patients care at the core, balanced with the best practice clinical care and research.

One of her first career-defining moments came when the first IVF baby was born in Sweden, and this changed her career trajectory and eventually took her from Sweden to Australia to continue both her work and studies.

Karin’s true passion is to give patients a voice and understand the complex problems around reproductive health and ultimately ask better questions. Her research focuses on two simple, yet complex questions “Where is the problem?” and “What can we do to help?” and she’s keen to make research in the reproductive and infertility field accessible and understandable for anyone. Her own focus on learning, critical thinking and growth has no doubt helped her build her own career path and help develop team members as well.

Her work and PhD addresses the psychosocial aspects of infertility and infertility treatment, and in 2010 she also authored a book called “IVF and Beyond for Dummies”. Karin now spends most of her time in the health promotion and education field focusing on reproductive health.

Some of the things we cover:

·       The value of becoming a student again as an adult with significant work experience

·       Leaning into new things and jumping onboard even if you don’t know

·       True curiosity and evolving our practice and work with new evidence being presented

·       Culture shock of moving from one country to another whilst staying in a similar role in the same professional field

·       The power of timing to be in the right place at the right time

·       Listen to your gut feel when you are ready for a new opportunity

·       Translating technical medical research into content and frameworks anyone can understand

·       Writing a book and learning to simplify things

Karin’s top career tips:

1.     Be openminded and keep your eyes open for change

2.     Jump onboard, even if it’s risky and give yourself the opportunity

3.     Don’t just wait, but actively create those career opportunities for yourself

Resources:

- Feeling stuck on what’s next in your career? Start by downloading the free career checklist via https://www.thebridgecoaching.com.au or book a free chat with Emmy. - Get in touch with Karin and her work via https://www.varta.org.au/, https://www.yourfertility.org.au/ or check out her book “IVF and Beyond for Dummies” here https://www.amazon.com.au/Beyond-Dummies-Australian-Karin-Hammarberg/dp/1742169465