Dr. Angela Gavralas

Name: Dr. Angela Gavralas

Career stage: Consultant

Location: Melbourne

Position:

Medical Specialty: General Practice

What do you enjoy most about your general practice?

I enjoy the fact that it is a flexible career so you can chose the
hours you work and where you work. There are so many opportunities in
general practice.as a female the flexibility allows a life outside
work.
i enjoy the variety of patients. you can subspeciliase in areas of interest.

i enjoy the interaction of other colleagues in a large practice.

As a general practitioner it is nice receiving the respect of the
general community.The personal connection with patients is interesting
and enjoyable.

What are the challenges of general practice?

There is always the challenge of keeping up to date. Time is needed to be spent on extended learning, both to keep up to date and to extend our skills.

We need to know a lot of information about a wide range of topics. Patients also us to have a wide general knowledge of everything medical, even if not related to general practice.

Time managament within general practice is also an issue.

What things helped you decide on general practice?

I always wanted to do medicine.

I think the media had an influence. I watched American medical programmes such as Trapper John MD while in primary school.

When I graduated the RACGP program was mandatory for general practice to enable registration. It was an excellent program.

Do you have any advice for those wishing to become general practitioners?

Gain experience in as many areas as possible including obstetrics, gynaecology, psychiatry and paediatrics.

Once in general practice pursue any personal interests you might find within the specialty. Use medicine as a means to travel.

I went to a bulk billing regional practice in Cairns, Queensland. There was a high need for doctors in an underdoctored population. I was exposed to underprivilged indigenous health. The lifestyle opportunities in this situation were wonderful. It allowed exploration, travel and extension of my own experence in medicine.

I believe these experiences are available elsewhere in Australia.

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