Extending skills and knowledge through general practice

Dr Maya Luks, a registrar undergoing her training in general practice and sitting her Fellowship exams, has no misgivings about her choice of specialty.
 
‘General practice has allowed me to fulfil my passion for extending my skills and knowledge,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘Throughout my medical school years, I felt attracted to all of the disciplines I learned about and, unlike other medical specialties, [in general practice] I am able to draw upon knowledge in all these areas when consulting with patients.’
 
Dr Luks’ interest in general practice really blossomed during her fourth year of medical school, when she had the opportunity to undertake two rotations in the discipline.
 
‘I was able to experience four weeks in a rural general practice and four weeks in an urban general practice in Adelaide, which gave me a good insight into the diversity of the specialty,’ she said.
 
These led to further general practice attachments and in her sixth year of medical school, Dr Luks arranged to do her elective the Centre for Disability Health in Adelaide.
 
‘[There] I was attached to a GP who used their knowledge and skills to reach out to patients in the community with an intellectual disability,’ she said.
 
‘This role involved visiting home and care facilities and I gained valuable insights into this unique population and their significant healthcare needs.’
 
Dr Luks also cites the positive influence of Dr Tahir Khan, her supervising GP at Minlaton Medical Centre in South Australia, as a major factor in her decision.
 
‘Despite consulting more than five days a week and attending to the local hospital at night and on the weekends, as many rural GPs do, and having a young family, Dr Khan still managed to have time to teach and supervise a fourth-year medical student,’ she said.
 
‘Dr Khan’s positivity and passion for his work and his patients despite his very busy schedule was inspiring. His belief that every student has a gift that they can bring to their career has always remained at the forefront of my mind.
 
‘It is this lesson that, above all, has inspired me down my general practice pathway to reflect on my own gifts and how I can improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.’
 
Dr Luks’ interest in general practice solidified once she began her internship, making her keen to move into the community as soon as possible. She recently completed her general practice training and Fellowship examinations when she was awarded the David Game Prize for her exam results in the first semester of 2018, an experience she describes as ‘humbling’.
 
Dr Luks now looks forward to moving into her future of serving her community as an RACGP-trained GP.
 
‘The great thing about general practice is the continuity it offers and the opportunity to see patients across the age spectrum,’ she said.
 
‘It amazes me how intellectually stimulating my days are and I love the challenge of expanding my knowledge base and awareness of community networks to better the lives of my patients.’

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