www.sundayterritorian.com.au Sunday Territorian, Sunday, January 3, 2010 — 55

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ALL IN A DAY’S WORK: Dr Lucy McKinnon

Dr cares for SurvivorsExotic ailments abound

By CHRIS PEPPER

WORKING in a surgery was neverpart of Dr Lucy McKinnon’s plan,the behind-the-scenes medic onthe hit reality show Survivor whohas treated ‘‘crazy-looking’’rashes, spider bites and life-threatening infections.

Coming face to face with castand crew suffering strange, exoticailments was all in a day’s work forthe 34-year-old, who was born inKensington Park and becamehooked on travel and adventure.

She now plans to head backoverseas following her year-longadventure working on sets in WestAfrica and Brazil.

‘‘You’re driving around in a 4WDambulance thinking, ‘Am I going tobump into an elephant around the

next corner?’ It’s the most surreal,bizarre experience,’’ said theformer Pembroke School pupil.

Dr McKinnon landed theSurvivor job after watching anepisode while studying medicineand surgery at Adelaide University.

‘‘I remember watching Survivor

and I saw an Australian doctor onit,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought, ‘Oh mygosh, how do I get on it?’’’

In 2008, she sent her CVto Sydney firm ImmediateAssistants, which providesmedical services on theprogram and is run by Survivor’s

first doctor, Adrian Cohen.‘‘It was very informal. I sat down

with Dr Cohen and described the

experiences I’d had,’’ she said.She was offered a job working

on the Gabon series in West Africawith another doctor, threeparamedics and two nurses.

Afterwards she flew to LosAngeles to screen the next set ofcontestants for medical conditions,before travelling with the final 16 toTocantins, in Brazil.

‘‘They (the contestants) had fullblood tests and examinations anda full history check, like getting intothe army I’d say,’’ she said.

‘‘They were either really quiet,out there, intelligent or beautiful. Itwas quite fun.’’

Both series each took about twomonths to film.

‘‘The Gabon base camp wasonly accessible by a four-hour boatride and a trek to the middle of thejungle, in the middle of nowhere,’’Dr McKinnon said.

The Tocantins camp was sixhours’ drive from the nearesthospital, leaving Dr McKinnonhaving to treat rashes, snake andspider bites on the spot.

In the same series she toldcontestant Joe Dowdle thata leg infection was potentiallylife threatening and requiredan operation.

Dr McKinnon decided againstappearing in the latest series(Survivor Samoa).

Recently she worked inEast Timor and also withAboriginal communities in theNorthern Territory.