Kerryn Phelps

Kerryn Lyndel Phelps AM (born 14 December 1957) is an Australian medical practitioner and politician. Dr Phelps was the first woman and first LGBT person to be elected president of the Federal Australian Medical Association (AMA). In 2003 she was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Health and Medicine.^[1] In 2011 she was made a member of the Order Of Australia for her service to medicine, particularly through leadership roles with the AMA, education and community health, and as a General Practitioner.^[2] In 2016, she was elected Deputy Lord Mayor on the Council of the City of Sydney.^[3] She is a pioneer in the field of Health Communication and Integrative Medicine in Australia. Phelps is Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Sydney University, Conjoint Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at University of New South Wales and Conjoint Professor in the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at University of Western Sydney.

Professional life

Dr Phelps graduated from University of Sydney in 1981 and completed postgraduate training at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, and at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She started working in health communications in the mainstream media in 1985, bringing messages about healthy lifestyle to the attention of the general public. Her television credits include EveryBody, Good Morning Australia, The Today Show, a documentary on The Kokoda Campaign and Last Chance Surgery. She has been the subject of stories on 60 Minutes, Australian Story and This Is Your Life. Prof Phelps has presented a variety of health and fitness programs on radio and has been a regular newspaper and magazine columnist. In 1992, Phelps was a regular on the popular sex education program Sex on the Nine Network.

In 1999 Phelps was elected president of the New South Wales Branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). The following year she was elected Federal President of the AMA, where she served the maximum term of three years. Some of her more significant successes involved working with Australian State and Federal Governments on resolving an emerging medical indemnity crisis. The unresolved medical insurance issue threatened obstetrics and neurosurgery in particular, and was exacerbated by escalating medical malpractice claims.

She was also instrumental in establishing an advisory committee on Indigenous health in Australia, and promoting debate on the importance of the public health system in response to the bioterrorism threat.

Phelps' major areas of interest included integrative medicine, public health, and human rights issues. As AMA President, she convened an expert advisory committee and pioneered the AMA's first position statement on complementary medicine. She also raised awareness of issues such as Aboriginal health problems, the medical workforce shortage and environmental health.

Her time as AMA president was marked by a very public clash with the then federal Minister for Health Dr Michael Wooldridge.^[4] He publicly claimed that she had no specialist medical qualifications ^[5] At the time, Phelps strongly contended that General Practice is a medical specialty. The minister later issued a public apology.

In 2009–12 she was President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association.

Today, Phelps is founder and principal clinician at Sydney Integrative Medicine and Cooper Street Clinic in Sydney. She is Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Sydney University and Conjoint Professor in the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at University of Western Sydney. Phelps is a regular speaker to health professionals and the general public on health and well-being, as well as leadership and strategy for professional organisations. She has been the health writer for The Australian Women's Weekly since 1991. She is a regular commentator on General Practice, public health, medical politics and human rights issues.

She is the co-author of a textbook General Practice: An Integrative Approach published in 2010. Her latest book Ultimate Wellness: The 3 Step Plan was published by Pan Macmillan in 2013.

Personal life

Phelps is married to Jackie Stricker,^[6] a former primary school teacher. Phelps and Stricker-Phelps were united in a religious ceremony in New York on 4 January 1998.^[7] They returned to New York City in 2011 for a legal marriage. However, Australian law does not recognise same-sex marriage.^[8] From her first marriage she has a daughter, Jaime Fronzek and a son, Carl Fronzek.^[9] The couple have a younger daughter, Gabrielle Stricker-Phelps. Phelps has a younger brother, Australian TV actor Peter Phelps.

In 2009, Phelps was named one of the 25 most influential lesbians in Australia by readers of the website samesame.com.au.^[10]

Honours

Phelps was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to Australian society and medicine.^[11] On 13 June 2011, she was named a Member of the Order of Australia for service to medicine, particularly through leadership roles with the Australian Medical Association in education and community health, and as a General Practitioner.^[2]

In 2008 Phelps was awarded a Bent Spoon Award by the Australian Skeptics.

Kerryn and Jackie have been ambassadors for Barnardos Australia's Mother of the Year Award since 2013.

In 2014 Phelps was awarded a Doctor of Letters honoris causa by the University of Western Sydney.

References