Having grown up in remote South Australia, Barbara has always been passionate about rural health and addressing equitable gpaccess to specialised care.

Rural Generalist Training offered Barbara an opportunity to enhance her skillset to contribute to these communities with greater confidence for the diverse range of patient presentations a rural GP is faced with.

“In Rural Generalism, GPs provide medical care to patients in all stages of their life – from infancy to geriatric or palliative care, and from chronic disease to acute trauma management. However, Rural Generalism offers the capacity to provide in other roles as well – as a counsellor, teacher, student, mentor, coach, teammate, and neighbour – in a way that other medical professionals are unlikely to contribute, at least not to the same group of people they treat,” Barbara said.

Having previously worked at Pangula Mannamurna in Mount Gambier, Barbara is now undertaking a training placement in Kadina on the Yorke Peninsula.

Barbara has a special interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, and is currently undertaking advanced specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has also previously undertaken training roles in emergency on call, general inpatient care, and aged care.

“I love the wide variety of medicine that I’m able to practice, and all the benefits that come with working in a rural setting – a strong sense of community, no traffic, fresh air and picturesque views,” said Barbara.

“I also love the fact that I know all of my patients when I see them around town.”