Dr Gaby Bolton on principle, anaesthetics and work-life balance.
Have you always wanted to be a doctor?
I wanted to be a veterinarian! But I learned it involved euthanising animals and found it too sad, so I turned my attention to medicine instead. My first memory of being in a hospital is of visiting my mum after surgery and seeing someone across the corridor having their tracheostomy removed. I found it quite interesting. I probably have the right disposition for medicine, the curiosity and the ability to compartmentalise some of the tasks and experiences it demands of you.
What led you to pursue anaesthetics?
I was keen on surgery but quickly found that the other side of the drape much more interesting.I found anaesthetists quite welcoming; I met people with personalities like mine. There’s a saying about the ‘ROAD’ to happiness in specialties, with road being an acronym for radiology, ophthalmology, anaesthesia and dermatology. They're widely seen as the specialties that offer a good work-life balance and give you the capacity to support yourself and your family in a relatively comfortable way.
What inspired you to challenge your employer for non-payment of overtime?
My class action and the other class actions are more powerful than us as individuals.
It wasn’t ever really about the money, but about principle – what’s right. I realised early on that I was not as affected as some of my colleagues; but no-one should be overworked to the point of burnout or go unrecognised and unremunerated because the system or their seniors don’t consider the essential work that they’re doing is important or necessary.
What advice do you have for interns?
The most encouraging piece of advice I received in my intern year was from a very senior consultant who told me “Someone has to get the dream job – why can’t it be you?” I think the easiest way to give yourself the best chance at success is to be humble, be a team player and take every opportunity to learn from those who have walked this path before you. If you want to give something a go or just get some guidance, don’t be afraid to ask – most of the time people are more than happy to pay it forward.
Dr Gaby Bolton is an anaesthetic registrar at Monash Health. In 2025, Gaby received the AMA Victoria Junior Doctor of the Year Award, recognising her remarkable strength and dedication to junior doctor wellbeing. In 2023 she was the lead applicant in a landmark class action against Peninsula Health for unpaid overtime, which resulted in a Federal Court ruling that the health service had breached the Fair Work Act.