VICDOC Autumn 2023 - Magazine - Page 33
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CAREER
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I’M IN THE PRIVILEGED POSITION OF DEVELOPING
SOMEBODY’S TRUST, IN ME AND IN THE SYSTEM
OF CARE I REPRESENT.
I work in a community health centre in an
area populated mostly by people with very
low socioeconomic status who are often
from CALD and refugee backgrounds.
Depending on where they've come from
and the sorts of systems they’ve been
involved in, their experience with authority,
including health professionals and systems,
has not always been positive. And they're
often in very difficult circumstances, with
complex needs over a variety of health,
social, family, housing, employment,
education and justice areas. There's a high
prevalence of domestic violence, chronic
disease, mental health problems, and often
a low sense of personal agency.
BEING A GP HAS BEEN GOOD FOR MY HEART,
AND GOOD FOR MY HEAD.
I graduated as a doctor when I was 23.
I stayed in the hospital system for about
five years, and started my physician
training, but realised I was interested in
everything. I then spent time as a registrar
in paediatrics, obstetrics and psychiatry.
Ultimately, I wanted to work with patients
and their families over time. I wanted to
understand the context of their world and
deal with people as a whole, not just bits
of them. That led me to become a GP,
and I've found it incredibly emotionally
and intellectually satisfying.
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