I am Greta Mukherjee, a proud Indian woman and a passionate advocate for change in healthcare. My journey began when I moved to Australia at just 18 to pursue my bachelor's degree in a healthcare degree. While studying, I worked multiple jobs, including frontline roles during the pandemic, gaining firsthand insight into the immense pressures healthcare workers face. My dedication led me to gain admission into a competitive Doctor of Medicine program, but a serious car accident forced me to withdraw. In an instant, everything I had worked for was taken away. My mental health took a severe dip, I was alone in a country that was not yet mine, without family to lean on, grieving the loss of a dream I had sacrificed so much for.
Despite these setbacks, I refused to give up. I pushed forward, working relentlessly to rebuild my career from the ground up. By the age of 23, I was offered the role of a Clinical Coordinator, entrusted with running clinical operations, making critical decisions, and leading a team of over 60 healthcare staff. However, my journey to leadership was not easy. I faced constant ageism, unrealistic expectations, and challenges at every turn. I had to prove myself repeatedly in an industry where experience is valued over capability, and where young women in leadership are often questioned rather than respected.
Now, with several years of experience in the industry, I have seen how healthcare workers are treated; the burnout, the toxic workplace cultures, the bullying, and the lack of mental health support. So many enter this profession with passion, only to leave within a year of graduating due to exhaustion, workplace mistreatment, and unrealistic demands. The system that prides itself on healing others is failing those who work within it.
Beyond the workforce, I have also witnessed how vulnerable communities such as women, neurodiverse individuals, LGBTQ+ people, and those with disabilities, continue to struggle for fair and equitable healthcare. Biases, discrimination, and systemic neglect create barriers that should not exist in a field built on compassion. If healthcare is truly about care, why do so many people: both professionals and patients—feel unseen and unheard?
As someone who built everything from scratch, entirely self-made, I refuse to stand by while these issues continue. Through Unscripted Healthcare, I am using my platform as a national finalist in the Australia Galaxy Pageants to amplify these voices. I want to be there for all healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, and for students stepping into this field with hopes and dreams, only to find themselves struggling. I want to advocate for those who feel like they have no voice, to push for a system that truly supports its workforce and the communities it serves.
The stage may be different, but my purpose remains the same. It is time to demand better. To fight for those who dedicate their lives to care, yet receive so little in return. Healthcare is not just about treating conditions, it is about valuing the people behind them. It is time to bring humanity back into care.