‘Haven’t looked back’: Dentist swaps Sydney for Gladstone

“When I heard that the job was in Gladstone I sort of said, ‘Oh okay, where’s that?’”

Oral health specialist Karen Bevan said she had 'absolutely no regrets' on swapping her Sydney lifestyle for a new opportunity in Gladstone.

One of Sydney’s leading oral health therapists said she had no regrets after making a sea-change to Gladstone last October.

Karen Bevan was recruited by Cornerstone Medical Recruitment for a position at Fanelli Dental in Goondoon Street last October.

Ms Bevan’s move away from the bright lights has been in the pipeline for longer than that, with Canberra-born Bevan having a conversation with a friend about a move away years prior.

After being placed on JobKeeper as the Covid-19 pandemic gripped New South Wales last year, Ms Bevan began to submit her CV to different organisations.

“When I heard back from Cornerstone Medical Recruitment that there was a role open at Fanelli Dental in Gladstone I said, ‘Oh okay, where’s that?’

Despite having never been to Gladstone before, Ms Bevan took the leap and decided to head north to Central Queensland, but not before some advice from her new boss.

“Dr Remo Fanelli wasn’t worried so much about my dental experience, he was more concerned about Gladstone’s size and the lack of things to do compared to Sydney.” she said.

Despite uncertainties about her future and the fact she had to quarantine in Gladstone before exploring the region, Ms Bevan said she has not looked back since.

“There is so much less pressure living here than in Sydney and I would 100 per cent recommend a sea-change to Gladstone for anyone thinking about it,” Ms Bevan said.

Oral health specialist Karen Bevan said she had 'absolutely no regrets' on swapping her Sydney lifestyle for a new opportunity in Gladstone.

“The lifestyle is better, it is easier to get around and it‘s a lot calmer.”

Samantha Miklos, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Medical Recruitment, said the organisation was dedicated to connecting employees to both the perfect career and lifestyle.

“We’ve found that Covid isn’t about flocking away from cities, but instead has simply served as the inspiration for professionals to put lifestyle first, which in many cases means a sea or tree change,” she said.

“The proof is in our numbers. Between the 2020 and 2021 financial years, Cornerstone Medical Recruitment’s regional placements grew by an incredible 68 per cent, compared to a 48 per cent increase within metropolitan areas.

“Karen is one of many people over the past 12 months who have taken the opportunity to realise their regional lifestyle dreams while also finding a great professional placement that can make a genuine impact on the wellbeing of the local community.”

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Originally published as ‘Haven’t looked back’: Dentist swaps Sydney for Gladstone