As a proud Indigenous man, it was important that I give back to my community. I have always wanted to do this.
However, it wasn’t until I was treating a young Indigenous man in the prison system that I truly understood the importance. When talking to him and telling him I was also Indigenous, he looked at me questioningly and said, “I never knew people like you existed, that Aboriginal doctors existed”. It was then that I knew I was needed in community health care.
The best aspect of training in an ACCHS is working with and helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on a daily basis. As an Aboriginal doctor there is no greater feeling than giving back to your people.
I have great mentors that have supported me at Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation. The setting is unique, we have home visits, specialist clinics and walk in emergencies, complex chronic care, as well as allied health on site.
Covid-19 has been a huge challenge for us all. Another aspect that I find challenging are the personal stories and sadness that so many of my patients share with me daily. However, whilst this is taxing, I feel very privileged that they are sharing things with me and hopefully it helps them on their healing journey. Another hard aspect is the rate of mental health issues amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
I would highly recommend GP training for other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander doctors. Being a GP is an integral part of the health system. It is a truly rewarding and diverse pathway. We need more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors in all aspects in medicine, but especially at a community level.
