The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has announced the winners of its annual awards program for general practice.
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The RACGP Awards recognise outstanding achievements and exceptional individuals for their contribution to rural general practice.
The winners of the RACGP's Rural Awards are:
- Brian Williams Award, Dr Richard Mayes, Castlemaine, Victoria
- Rural GP in Training of the Year, Dr Mubashar Sherazi, Mallacoota, Victoria
- Rural Medical Student Bursary Award, Ms Sophie Witherspoon, Mansfield, Victoria
- Community Project of the Year Award, Dr Khean Shang Wong, Broome, Western Australia
RACGP rural chair Dr Michael Clements congratulated the winners.
"As the home for rural general practice in Australia, the RACGP's Rural Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the rural GPs working hard to care for communities across Australia," Dr Clements said.
"Rural GPs couldn't be more deserving of the spotlight. They are essential for the health and wellbeing of rural communities, and they are in turn truly valued by their communities."
Rural GP in Training of the Year, Dr Mubashar Sherazi is committed to a career in rural general practice and serving rural communities.
He successfully completed GP training exams in 2020, sitting two exams just weeks after being evacuated from the devastating Black Summer bushfires in Mallacoota.
The first doctor recruited to Mallacoota under a targeted recruitment strategy, in which communities with a high need for medical workforce receive recruitment support, Dr Sherazi said he enjoyed nothing more than serving his community.
"Before I came to Mallacoota in 2018, there was only one very hard-working female GP at Mallacoota Medical Practice, and there was far too much work for just one GP," he said.
"I have really enjoyed my time here and responding to the needs of our community - for example, I enrolled in adolescent and child health training after recognising the community really needs these services.
"I'm also very passionate about medical education, and recently published my first book on the topic, which I hope will help to guide and support the next generation of GPs in training, like me."
Dr Clements said as a rural GP himself, he know what entices medical graduates to go rural.
"It's a uniquely varied and rewarding career, no one day is the same, and you really get to know your patients and provide long-term holistic care, which general practice is all about," Dr Clements said.
"Rural practice is of course challenging, particularly in very remote areas, where there's no access to other health services so the community really relies on their local GP for all their health and wellbeing needs.
"This year's Rural Awards winners have truly gone above and beyond in caring for their patients and contributing to their communities and show great promise for their careers in general practice. Congratulations, and keep up the great work."
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Leah Szanto
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
