Dr Benjamin Vialle grew up in Launceston, Tasmania. After completing medical school and the first stages of training in regional and rural Queensland, he was prompted to return to Tasmania when he started a family. 

With the support of the Tasmanian training program, the expanding Child and Youth Mental Health Service, and committed supervisors, he carved out a unique rural/regional Advanced Training experience in Launceston and became a child and adolescent psychiatrist in his hometown. 

Did you always know you wanted to become a doctor? Tell us how this came to be.

No. My first love at university was philosophy. At first I was certain I would pursue a PhD and an academic career, but over time I longed for something that would feel more connected and ‘helpful’ to my community. At first I thought that would be in teaching, and that I would not succeed in getting into medical school, but here we are.  

What inspired you to choose psychiatry as a specialisation?

My interest in philosophy and literature led me always to what seemed like more “artful” and “ethically complex” parts of medicine. When I began to meet thoughtful and interesting psychiatrists in my clinical years of medical school, it became clearer that this was my pathway. 

Psychiatry quickly announced itself as the specialty that was most able to value the non-medical parts of my background and training. I saw the opportunity to use my interpersonal skills and my thinking skills to help people.   

What’s your medium-term career vision look like? Where do you see yourself in three years?

Our child and youth services in Tasmania are in an exciting and daunting period of growth and change. I’m enjoying the challenge of helping to build our new services in youth and in out of home care in Launceston.

I’m also passionate about training and education, and have commenced in a role supporting the Tasmanian Psychiatry Training Program in the north and north-west of Tasmania. I hope to play a part in helping Tasmanian trainees become psychiatrists and build the workforce in my hometown. 

If you were talking with a RANZCP trainee or Fellow who was contemplating moving to a rural location, how would you convince them that it would be a great decision?

I would say rural and regional services are where bright and passionate trainees and psychiatrists can really shine. The demand for generalism, flexibility and creative problem-solving means we need the best – and the best, in turn, make a wonderful difference in rural and regional services. 

Rural disadvantage impacts our patients and their families, and so we remain grounded in the equity and justice issues that are central to psychiatry’s social contract. 

Connected communities, beautiful landscapes, and attractive housing prices of course can make it a great decision too… But most of all, the work is broad and dynamic, and we know we are serving our community. 

Self-care is important for psychiatrists training and practising in a rural location. What’s your top three ways to look after your wellbeing?

Mentoring and supervision have been crucial for me to identify, ventilate, examine and reflect on challenges and difficult emotions with supportive seniors.

Ensuring some opportunities for fun and connectedness, far outside of work, can be hard but important and always worthwhile.

A third one for me is a bit existential: I try to always remember that I have freedom to choose, a responsibility to carve my own path authentically, and the privilege of an employable and well-remunerated qualification. When work is hard, I have to remind myself that this path is one I have freely chosen, and I always have options.  

The RANZCP Rural Psychiatry Training Pathways initiative, funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing under the Psychiatry Workforce Program.