Name: Professor Rachel Isba
Job Title: At Alder Hey, I am a Consultant in Paediatric Public Health Medicine with a Special Interest in Addictions, but I also have a job at Lancaster Medical School as a Professor of Children and Young People’s Health (all of which is a bit of a mouthful, but I am basically a children’s doctor).
What job(s) did you do before this?
I have been a doctor for nearly 23 years. I have also been a babysitter, a barmaid, a waitress, a doctor looking after a rugby league team, and a shop assistant in a stationery shop (which was my first proper job when I was 15). Before that, I used to help my brother with his paper round (he paid me in sweets!). For three days in 2008, I was the personal doctor for the heavy metal band Megadeth whilst they were on tour… My favourite job is being a mum to my two boys.
Briefly describe a typical day in your job role (tasks carried out)
I don’t really have a typical day in my job, and that is one of the great things about my job! Yesterday I chaired a partnership group of people working across Alder Hey and Cheshire and Merseyside to make things fairer and more equal for children and young people. Today I helped someone with a research project they are planning and arranged some vaccination training for staff. Next week I will give a presentation in Sheffield about the clinic I run with my friend and colleague, Miss Harriet Corbett – we are helping young people who have problems with their bladder as a result of using a drug called ketamine. I’ll also be talking to other people around the country next week, who are supporting children and young people who use drugs. One of the best bits of my job is helping to train the next generation of children’s doctors.
Have you had any special training/completed any qualifications?
Yes, lots, and I love learning! Every day is a school day 😊 I have three master’s degrees and two doctorates, which is a bit much, but I really enjoyed all of it (except the exams). Now I am learning lots about drug use, which is really interesting and important. I am also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, which is basically Hogwarts for doctors.
What would you say your key skills are? What type of person are you?
I try to be a kind, honest, and useful person, and I want to make things fairer for children. I enjoy talking about things with different people and I hope that one of my skills is being able to “code switch” so that I am always explaining myself in a way that is accessible to the person or people I am talking to. I talk a lot and am working on my listening skills!