RACGP’s newest life members share words of wisdom

As hundreds of new GP Fellows celebrate their graduation at ceremonies across Australia, the RACGP’s two newest life members have shared their experience and advice with the next generation of doctors.
 
At the Northern Territory’s Fellowship ceremony in Darwin last month, Dr Fiona MacDonald and Dr Jeanine Richardson were officially awarded the honour – thanked for a lifetime of tireless work and dedication to general practice.
 
Now, the two GPs are handing down their knowledge to those embarking on their career, sharing what has made them stay, what drives them, and their advice.
 
When speaking about her career, Dr Richardson says she likes to start from today and work backwards.
 
‘I’m someone who’s remained curious and connected – curious about how people tick, how communities tick, how interpersonal relationships tick,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘I’m curious about how to communicate quite sophisticated medical concepts into practical day-to-day pictures that support people to make great decisions on their own behalf.
 
‘Empowering people is really a motto that I’ve had for many years, and there’s a sense of helping people to be independent in a very complex system.’
 
Dr Richardson is the owner and principal GP at the Cavenagh Medical Centre in Darwin.
 
She grew up and studied in Hobart, before spending 13 years practicing in rural Tasmania and then making the move to Darwin in 2002.
 
For more than two decades in the Top End, Dr Richardson has worked tirelessly to improve the health of Darwin locals.
 
When Dr Richarson received her life membership last month, she said it left her with ‘mixed reactions’.
 
‘The first thing is, I’m just a GP, right? So really, there’s a lot of fuss for nothing. I don’t even know what that means, I’m just like everybody else – we all just go to work and just do our jobs,’ she said.
 
‘But then I thought about reframing that and in the current context of the young doctors I work with talking to me about feeling stressed, I thought, well, if I can celebrate publicly 35 years of practice, I can show people it’s possible.
 
‘I’m older than you guys, I physically have less energy, and if I can do it, so can you, and in a time of great change, I want to celebrate the fact that even at 59, even after 35 years of practice, you can be in a career where you can adapt, and change, and be involved in the exciting things that are coming.’


Dr Richardson said having hobbies and interests outside of general practice has been crucial to staying in the profession. (Image: supplied) 

But looking back on that 35-year career, Dr Richardson said one thing she is most proud of is the practice she has created, saying one of her career highlights has been the culture within her Darwin clinic.
 
‘A great joy for me has been learning how to run business well and learning how to develop an awesome, not just a good but an awesome, culture to work in,’ she said.
 
‘I go to my workplace, and I work with other people who want to be there, and I was part of building that, and I lead that.’
 
For Dr MacDonald, she has spent much of her career as a GP at the Danila Dilba Health Service, an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation in Darwin.
 
The organisation focusses on improving the physical, mental, spiritual, cultural and social wellbeing of its community, and Dr MacDonald said this is something which has inspired her since the beginning.
 
‘We are part of a family, and a community, and have broader interests other than just our job, and we need to look after that,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘It’s been incredibly rewarding, that’s why I’m still here, and there are some inspirational Aboriginal leaders which I’ve had the pleasure to work with.
 
‘Working with people from the oldest living culture in the world and then their different worldview is fascinating … I really firmly believe that’s the way of the future, that’s the correct way, that’s the way that actually gets results.’
 
Dr MacDonald said being awarded a life membership was an honour and used the opportunity to offer some words of wisdom for new GPs.
 
‘Medicine is hard – it’s hard to get into medicine, it’s a hard degree, the residency is hard, the training program and exams are hard, but once you get out of that, it just progressively becomes easier in a way that you can see and enjoy the fun parts and remember that they will become more and more frequent,’ she said.
 
‘I feel like I’m in a position where I am respected by both the Aboriginal and the medical community, and that’s lovely.’
 
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health Fellowship ceremony Northern Territory