A new round of West Australian GPs has been awarded a Fellowship of the RACGP recognising the “gold standard of general practice”.
A total of 84 specialist GPs were welcomed as Fellows at a ceremony on September 19.
Fellowship of the RACGP recognises a doctor’s qualification and expertise as a specialist GP and it typically follows about 11 years of education, clinical training, rigorous assessment, and hands-on experience in primary care.
In addition to the newly recognised Fellows were three Rural Generalists, GPs who undertake additional rural skills training in fields vital to rural communities, such as emergency medicine and obstetrics.
RACGP Vice President and WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman congratulated the GPs and said many have a strong track record and passion for helping patients in rural communities.
“New Fellows have put in years of study, endured the rigours of exams, and hands-on experience with the guidance and support of invaluable GP supervisors and medical educators, who perform such a vital role,” she said.
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“The College is determined to boost rural and remote general practice care across Australia, including Western Australia, and many of today’s new Fellows have a strong track record and passion for helping patients in rural communities.
“It’s great news that 20 of the new Fellows are from rural areas and they have inspiring stories to tell.”
Dr Raman highlighted Dr Megan Robertson, who she described as having a deep commitment to supporting rural and remote communities and who completed the majority of her community GP training in regional WA all while having been diagnosed with a serious health condition.
“Dr Robertson’s story is a powerful testament to perseverance, dedication to rural medicine, and professional excellence,” she said.
She also recognised Dr Charl Du Plessis who attained a Rural Generalist Fellowship and had worked as a solo GP covering the entire Northern Goldfields area, including Leonara and Laverton, and ran outreach clinics to the remote Aboriginal community of Cosmo Newberry.
“When COVID-19 struck, he made the call to stay in the community to help patients in need, and make sure that everyone was okay, including providing vital mental health support. This is one of the reasons why GPs are so highly regarded in the communities they serve – we’re there in times of crisis.”
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Dr Raman said the future of Western Australian general practice care was bright.
“People across our great state rely on specialist GPs, and the College is stepping up so that all patients can access high-quality care from a GP who knows them, and their history,” she said.
“As a GP, you’re immensely valued by people in your local community, and you build deep, meaningful and lasting relationships with patients,” she said.
“Some experienced GPs may even treat patients across two or three generations in the one family. No other specialty offers that kind of connection, and long-term relationship building.”
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