Doctor who fought unpaid overtime now leads medical association, breaks bamboo ceiling
Dr Betty Ge led a campaign against unpaid overtime, winning a $31 million settlement and now leads the Australian Medical Association ACT.
When Dr Ge became a doctor after working as a nurse, she was shocked by junior doctors working 16-hour shifts then starting early the next day. Dr Ge warned that exhaustion endangered both doctors and patients.
Dr Ge became one of the leaders of a campaign that led to a class action lawsuit in 2022. Canberra Health Services and Calvary Health Care ACT settled for $31 million in 2024.
Dr Ge is now Australian Medical Association ACT President and won the medical category in the 2026 Asian-Australian Leadership Awards. A survey of past award winners found 84 per cent believed they had to work harder than non-Asian colleagues for the same recognition, and 82 per cent felt pressure to hide their cultural identity.
Dr Ge said the bamboo ceiling is real but invisible. She wants young doctors, especially from Asian backgrounds, to step into leadership roles.
- $31 million
- Settlement amount
- 16 hours
- Shift length that triggered concern
- 84 per cent
- Survey respondents who worked harder
- 2022
- Lawsuit launched
Why it mattersJunior doctors' wellbeing affects patient safety. Systemic change often requires brave individuals to speak out, even when it carries personal risk.
AustraliaAustralia's healthcare system depends on junior doctors working under intense pressure. This settlement and Dr Ge's advocacy may shift how hospitals manage medical training and staff hours.
