Inside and outside the consulting room: GP opinion in 2019

General practice is, as they say, a broad church.
 
From finances and funding to resilience and mental health, training and travel to new medications and diseases, GPs are acutely observant by nature.
 
Here are some of the most popular GP-written columns from the start of 2019.
 
Do they teach perfume dispensing in pharmacy school?
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon reminds pharmacists of GPs’ pivotal role as respected medical specialists in their communities.
 
Surgical registrar’s ‘toxic’ experiences highlight need for change
Overworking and exhaustion are common in young hospital doctors, and led Dr Yumiko Kadota to resign. Dr Evelyn Lewin reflects on her own training.
 
Recovering from family violence – and using those techniques to help my patients
Dr Imaan Joshi previously spoke about surviving family violence, raising children and gaining Fellowship. Now she writes about how she recovered from her trauma.
 
Does a low-meat diet improve health outcomes?
Following vegan protests across Australia, one GP examines the evidence and reflects on whether people should eat less meat.
 
Old doc, new disease: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Dr Casey Parker examines an intriguing presentation that made him ask: What else do I not know?
 
Why down-scheduling medicines is fraught with danger
Associate Professor Mark Morgan questions whether a push to make more prescription-only medicines available over the counter is best for patients.
 
How can GPs look after themselves in the wake of so much trauma?
Dr Imaan Joshi discusses what has worked for her in dealing with traumatic events.
 
Learning to deal with challenging ‘heart-sink’ patients
Dr Hester Wilson reflects on her efforts to help difficult patients.
 
The wide-angled lens of autism
GP and autism advocate Dr James Best marks World Autism Awareness Day by considering the question, ‘How can one condition be so variable?’
 
From mutineer to surgeon: The curious case of William Redfern
Dr Gillian Riley tells the story of the first colonial doctor to be qualified in Australia.
 
How can GPs help women manage polycystic ovary syndrome?
GP Dr Carolyn Ee writes about what is a common but often under-recognised condition.
 
What would it take for me to participate in voluntary assisted dying?
After decades of providing palliative care, Dr Horst Herb would be willing to be involved with legal voluntary assisted dying – as long as he knew the patient well.
 
The merit of second thoughts
Reflecting on his clinical career, Dr Chris Hogan realises the importance of making – and learning from – mistakes.
 
Worth the weight
Dr Hester Wilson writes on how gentle questions over the long term can help patients with chronic disease make changes.
 
Thinking about a GP clinic partnership? Here’s what I’ve learned
GP and practice owner Dr Maria Boulton writes about how to make sure a business partnership will go the distance.

family violence GP opinion medical training