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Tributes for ‘guiding light’ of general practice
Known as a ‘towering figure in general practice’, tributes are pouring in after Professor John Murtagh passed away on Saturday.
Emeritus Professor John Murtagh has been widely praised for his contribution to general practice.
The world of general practice is in mourning following news of the passing of Emeritus Professor John Murtagh at the age of 89 on Saturday.
One of the most recognisable GP names in the world, Professor Murtagh is best known for his work on the 1535-page book John Murtagh’s General Practice, which was published in 1994 and soon became known as a ‘bible’ for medical students and professionals.
Now in its ninth edition, it is the highest selling medical textbook of recent decades and has been translated into 13 different languages, guiding doctors in more than 20 countries.
As well as his medical writing, Professor Murtagh mentored and taught generations of GPs in his academic role at Monash University, including several RACGP presidents.
Such was his contribution to general practice that he was named Australia’s ‘favourite medical hero’ in a 2012 survey of GPs, the first choice for an overwhelming 60% of respondents.
Professor Michael Kidd, a former RACGP President and currently Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, was among those who learned from him.
Responding to news of his death, Professor Kidd paid tribute to Professor Murtagh’s ‘profound influence’ on his life and career.
‘His remarkable legacy will live on through the wisdom he shared so generously through his many books, and through the generations of young doctors, across Australia and around the world, who were influenced by his teachings,’ Professor Kidd said.
Born in Western Victoria, Professor Murtagh suffered from poliomyelitis as a young boy, and his appreciation for the work of doctors developed during his convalescence.
His first job on graduating from the University of Melbourne was a teacher of science and maths but it was not long until he returned to his ‘long held ambition’ to become a rural doctor.
In 1961, he began studies at Monash University’s new medical school, starting an association with the university that would endure more than 50 years.
After gaining a degree in medicine and surgery, he became one of the first graduates admitted to the RACGP’s Family Medicine Program.
After graduating, Professor Murtagh worked at Ashwood Medical Centre, as well as carrying out locum work and becoming a surgical registrar at Bendigo Base Hospital.
Shortly after marrying Dr Jill Rosenblatt, another medical graduate, they took on a general practice in Neerim South in Gippsland in 1969, a move that became a highlight of his clinical career.
‘Practising with my wife, we had our own hospital and we were it,’ Professor Murtagh would later reflect.
‘We were the only medical people in the community. It was fascinating, it was the best part of my career.’
It is also where what is described as his ‘legendary ability to connect with the person in the patient’ developed, alongside his reputation as an outstanding GP.
A decade later, Professor Murtagh was tempted to return to Monash University in an academic senior lecturer role, where his students included another future RACGP President, Professor Karen Price.
‘Such a tremendous, spirited man who changed general practice in so many ways,’ she said on learning of his death.
‘A gifted teacher and supporter of medical excellence. He is known worldwide for his enormous contributions.
‘What I knew him for was his deeply held philosophy of kindness and encouragement of so many.
‘He greeted the students the same as political leaders which is a testament to his integrity of character.’
In 1983, Professor Murtagh was invited to edit Australian Family Physician – the forerunner to the Australian Journal of General Practice – a move that would shape the rest of his life.
Bringing a raft of innovative ideas to his work, Professor Murtagh proved to be a highly effective medical editor and writer, building a team of contributing doctors.
During this time, he was approached by a publisher at McGraw-Hill, who wanted to produce a book based on his work.
‘That’s how it all started,’ he later said. ‘That’s how the books really got going.’
Nine editions later, the textbook has been translated into many different languages and is familiar to doctors worldwide.
In 2023, the launch of an updated Mandarin version at a general practice conference in Sichuan was attended by more than 5000 doctors.
‘In China, there are many followers of Professor Murtagh,’ said Adjunct Associate Professor of General Practice at Monash University Hui Yang, who edited the translation.
‘They believe that his thoughts and Australian general practice and education are the most important reference and direction for the development of general practice in China.’
RACGP President Michael Wright also paid tribute to Professor Murtagh’s contribution, describing him as a ‘guiding light’ of general practice who will be sorely missed.
‘Professor Murtagh earned prestigious academic honours and became one of Australia’s most respected GPs, and his incredible work in academia resonated with so many people in the general practice community,’ he said.
‘Despite this, Professor Murtagh’s awards and recognition never defined his view of the world or his place in it – he was always committed to patient care.
‘Ask anyone who met Professor Murtagh, and they will tell you that he was such a sincere and humble person dedicated to improving the lives of others.
‘He was known for his warmth, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others.
‘Professor Murtagh’s passing marks the end of an era in Australian general practice, but his legacy will live on through the countless doctors he trained, the patients he cared for, and the work he did that continues to guide us.’
Among many accolades throughout his career, Professor Murtagh was awarded life fellowships of the RACGP and the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) in 2007.
The college’s John Murtagh Library was also named in his honour in 2005, and he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019.
Even well into his 80s, Professor Murtagh remained very actively engaged in the profession, with his attendance at the WONCA Conference in 2023 in Sydney greeted with a reverence more closely associated with rock stars than general practice academics.
While he would admit he found it ‘a little embarrassing when people make a fuss,’ he said it also gave him ‘a buzz’ knowing his work meant something to people.
He was still working on his legacy-defining publication almost until the end, with one of his five children, daughter Julie Tullberg, saying he had finished his final textbook ‘just weeks ago’.
‘Although he lived a long and full life, it comes as a shock when it’s your dad’s time,’ she said.
‘We’re super proud of his legacy in medicine. Dad’s work has guided generations of doctors – across more than 20 countries – and his textbooks have been translated into numerous languages.
‘Dad was a trailblazer during his time at Monash University. We are most fortunate to learn from his humble ways.
‘RIP Dad.’
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