DR Sam Manger of Maleny has been recognised as GP of the year by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) at its recent Queensland state awards.
RACGP president Dr Karen Price said the awards were an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work of GPs and their teams in caring for their communities.
“This year’s Queensland winners have truly gone above and beyond for their patients and contributed to the health of their communities,” Dr Price said.
Dr Manger said that doctors don’t become GPs to win awards but being recognised was wonderful news.
“I have spent almost a decade as a rural GP, including in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and it has proven to be an incredibly rich and rewarding experience,” Dr Manger said.
“For anyone considering a career as a rural GP I would strongly recommend you give it a try. You are a valued and integral member of your local community and the opportunities to expand your skill set are immense.
“I have a strong interest in whole of person and multidisciplinary care. Rather than just fixing a problem and moving to the next patient I think that a good GP needs to apply creative thinking and develop a strong relationship with patients over many years.
“I am also extremely passionate about mental health and do a lot of work in this space. That includes my role as an ambassador to Equally Well Australia and I regularly support and promote the mental health and wellbeing of GPs and health professionals.”
Dr Manger said he also has a podcast for health professionals, called ‘The GP Show’, which he said was rewarding. He has been hosting the podcast with expert guests since 2017.
“Being the best GP you can be also involves integrating yourself at a community level,” Dr Manger said.
“I have spoken at a wide range of public events including the Woodford Folk Festival and the Transitions Film Festival and run online workshops for the public in areas of health promotion to improve understanding of health and wellbeing.
“Teaching is something I find really rewarding. I’m a senior lecturer and medical educator with James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry and that involves supervising, mentoring and teaching some 525 GP registrars, including 50 in the local area.
“I’m in the middle of developing a Masters in Lifestyle Medicine, so stay tuned to hear more on that front.” Dr Manger said.
The national RACGP awards will be announced on November 20.