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After over two decades of service as a General Practice Principal in Victorian town Ararat, GP Anaesthetist/Obstetrician Dr Michael Connellan has been awarded with a Distinguished Service Award for making a significant contribution to his community and rural practice.
As partner of the Ararat Medical Centre - around two and a half hours from Melbourne - Dr Connellan has been serving the rural community of Ararat since 1994 and isn’t showing any signs of stopping anytime soon.
Described as a role model to his doctors, registrars, students and interns, Dr Connellan has shown his peers that medicine is a way of life and not just a profession or a monetary source.
Dr Connellan has long been interested in teaching both registrars and medical students. He understands the intricacies of general practice as a specialty area of medicine, with a multitude of skills and knowledge required to provide whole of life care for his patients.
“I want to encourage others to have confidence in their ability to diagnose and manage complex problems, as well as procedural work where appropriate,” Dr Connellan explains.
Dr Connellan says that the patients he deals with on a day to day basis, the involvement with teaching registrars and students, and the challenges of the variety of the field are some of the main reasons he loves being a rural practitioner.
On being the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, Dr Connellan says he is honoured to be recognised.
“Whether it’s by your peers or your colleagues, being nominated and winning this award is an honour, and it’s nice to feel like you’ve been able to make a difference in your community.”
Ararat Medical Centre Practice Manager Garry Hurst explains Dr Connellan is hugely dedicated to his work and his community and not only gives up his work time, but also his own personal time to teach and mentor students, registrars and overseas training doctors.
“He makes himself available 24/7 and has them over for meals, involves them in his family, involves them in the sporting clubs and involves them in the life of our town”, Mr Hurst said.
The Distinguished Service Award is awarded by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) in recognition of persons who have provided a significant and long-standing contribution to Rural and Remote Medicine and/or general service to their rural community.