Dr Abdullah Akram spent most of his childhood moving between Bangladesh, Somalia, the UK and the Middle East, where his father, who worked as a doctor at the United Nations, was posted to various refugee camps around the world. Abdullah now lives in the small town of Boonah in Queensland where he owns an off-the-grid property with his wife. He is currently training towards Fellowship on the ACRRM Independent Pathway.
1. We’d love you to share a little about your background
I was born in Bangladesh. At the time, my dad worked for the United Nations as a doctor and was posted to various refugee camps around the world. My first years were spent in Somalia and spent a couple of years in the United Kingdom, where dad was undergoing further training, before moving to the Middle East.
I came to Australia when I was 12 and grew up in Newcastle NSW, were I did my schooling. I attended medical school in Tasmania and by that time my family had moved to Blackall near Longreach in Queensland. After doing my hospital terms, I took various locum jobs in Dalby at an Aboriginal medical centre, then Beaudesert, and finally in Boonah, where I bought a completely off-grid farm with my wife.
2. What prompted you to choose a career as a rural GP?
I was originally inspired to explore a career in rural medicine by directly observing my dad's work in outback Queensland.
I think that the variety of cases, the people themselves and the connections you build with your patient’s entire inter-generational family, is a strong attraction to rural GP work. As a rural GP you are required to be vastly more self-sufficient and demonstrate initiative on a daily basis as you are presented with unique, challenging and often complex cases.
3. Why did you choose to train with ACRRM on the Independent Pathway?
I felt that the ACRRM Independent Pathway better reflected the work we do as rural GPs. The way the program is structured and delivered acknowledges the challenges and commitment of a rural GP.
4. What does a day or a week look like working as a Rural Generalist?
As a Rural Generalist I care for multi-generational families, from newborn babies through to nursing home and palliative care patients. I often conduct home visits to sometimes quite remote homesteads as well as after-hours and on-call rosters.
I also spend a good portion of my time managing mental health issues as well as surgical procedure, which can be as simple as the removal of a mole to more complex injuries that are often sustained on farms.
5. We are sure you have had some interesting events occur in your work - what are some you can share?
I am continually amazed by the resilience and friendliness of rural people! For example, a male patient came to me with a rusty nail in his ‘umm…’ (will leave that to your imagination) that was there for several months! When I wanted to send him to hospital, he walked out as he needed to muster cattle and didn't have time to be in hospital.
Another definite novelty is the frequent delivery of fresh produce including home-grown mangoes, farm-fresh eggs and all types of vegetables, which people are happy to share.
6. How are you involved in your local community?
My wife and I have a large property in the local area and are actively involved in ‘Land For Wildlife’ and livestock management. We manage pest populations on our property, which means extensive coordination and consultation with our neighbours. We both volunteer at the local historical village and participate in local hobby clubs. We are also involved in dog obedience, dog conformation shows, and participate in local shooting competitions.
Dr Abdullah Akram is an ACRRM Independent Pathway registrar. Visit our Independent Pathway page to learn more about this flexible Fellowship training option.