Dr Greg Coates who works in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, is the recipient of an Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) 2022 Honorary Fellowship Award for providing a significant contribution to ACRRM and the field of rural generalism.

Dr Coates’ notable contribution includes over 20 years’ service as a Rural Generalist (RG), creating and fostering the Rural GP Anaesthesia (GPA) community, establishing a detailed database of the national GPA workforce, and initiating weekly virtual educational sessions for GPA trainees.

“These teaching sessions started in March 2020, as a spontaneous initiative to help our RG trainees stay engaged in their training while the rest of their education schedule was in a COVID-induced mess,” Dr Coates says.

“When the situation improved, we found that the sessions had informally become part of the trainees' core curriculum.

“We have now run 145 sessions with a growing attendance, averaging 30 trainees each week with 2,880 cumulative attendances so far.”

These sessions are online, interactive, offered free of charge and are organised with the assistance of ACRRM.

“To see the talent of the young doctors coming through and their enthusiasm to be RGs, it’s inspiring and gives me hope that the future is bright,” Dr Coates says.

“Even late on a Tuesday night, after a hard day of work, they show up, stay engaged, ask questions, many of them intensely looking in the Zoom camera and engaging in the guidance they are receiving from fellow RGs.”

“The award comes at a good time with changes going on at the moment,” Dr Coates admits.

“I am absolutely chuffed and really appreciative of the recognition and am looking forward to expanding the network of otherwise isolated RGs across Australia.

When asked why rural generalism is important, Dr Coates notes the value of contextualised training where experienced RGs teach the new generation, rather than over-reliance on city-based specialists.

“Introducing likeminded doctors and finding recruits for our future who are good quality ACRRM RG enthusiasts is what I hope to achieve in the future,” Dr Coates says.

Dr Coates was presented with his ACRRM Honorary Fellowship Award at the Rural Medicine Australia Conference on Friday 14 October. 

 

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

ACRRM: Communications manager Petrina Smith at p.smith@acrrm.org.au, 0414 820 847