Dr Clare Keogh
Dr Keogh is a GP Advocate for the Federal Electorate of Kingston, SA and Deputy Chair of RACGP SA.She is a practice owner, Medical Lead for Education and Advocacy at Shine SA, and champion for women’s health and women’s leadership in GP. Dr Keogh was also a founding member of the Southern GP Network, which she continues to coordinate.
What made you choose a career in general practice?
I became interested in GP when I was in my final years of medical school and able to do some GP placements, but the decision to pursue GP as a career was cemented by a PGPPP placement at the start of my intern year. I was exposed to so many different patient presentations, enjoyed the challenge of problem solving, and learned many new skills. I really could not suture until I did GP – and I will be forever grateful for the teaching that my supervisor gave me. I was then very lucky to have further excellent GP supervisors during my training. I love the variety of medicine in GP, but mostly the longitudinal care, getting to know and advocate for patients over years and using that time and rapport to improve health.
What made you want to become an Advocate?
I have always been interested in social justice, and being a GP offers an ability to advocate for individual patients. I am passionate about general practice, and am a practice owner. The issue that sparked my current GP-advocacy role was the threat of payroll tax. After the Practice Owners Conference in Adelaide 2023, I decided to reach out to other local GPs, practice owners and practice managers to discuss this pending threat. This was the start of the Southern GP Network – a group that I continue to co-ordinate and which provides ongoing collegiality in our local area. At the time, the RACGP SA Chair Dr Sian Goodson became aware of my small-time advocacy and invited me to apply to the faculty. She really supported me to expand my advocacy and encourage leadership. I have found increasing fulfilment in advocacy and I continue to enjoy raising the prestige and voice of general practice.
You’re a GP, a practice owner, Deputy Chair of the SA Faculty Council, and a Medical Lead for Education and Advocacy for Shine SA. How do you balance your many roles, and how does each support the others?
I do wear many hats! They do all complement each other, which is why I am able to balance them all. I have a passion for general practice, championing leaders (particularly female leaders), sexual health and reproductive rights. My various roles have allowed me to champion some topics that I feel very strongly about, including contraception and abortion care. This brings me great sense of gratitude and accomplishment. I don’t think that I have the perfect balance – certainly the scales can be tipped towards one role or another at times. I am beautifully supported by my husband and family, by my owner-colleague Dr Nina Holmwood and my whole GP team, and by the SA faculty – in particular Dr Sian Goodson.
What are your top tips for finding balance?
I would encourage any GP to give advocacy a go. It’s a great way to ‘vent’ some of your frustrations in systems, policy or the local environment in a productive and satisfying way. In terms of finding balance, I don’t think I have any magic tips! It comes down to allocating the time to your roles: Each one is important and deserves your undivided attention for a period of time, but, most importantly, take time for yourself as a person, partner, family member and friend. We’re all human and we all deserve our down time. I think we all know, if we suddenly had a few days clear, exactly what we’d like to do with it! So, make sure you ‘roster in’ some of the ‘me time’ or even ‘time to be non-productive’. If all that fails, get a cocker spaniel. They’re very cuddly and enthusiastic. It’s very difficult to be jaded around a spaniel!