The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is pleased to announce that Sydney GP Dr Anne Eastwood has won this year’s Corlis Award.
The Corlis Award commemorates the contribution of the late Dr Wilson or “Bill” Corlis to the RACGP’s standing as a leader in medical education. The award recognises an RACGP member or Fellow who has contributed substantially to the education and mentoring of doctors who are on one of the RACGP pathways to Fellowship.
Dr Eastwood began her career as a medical educator before joining GP Synergy in 2010.
RACGP Acting President Associate Professor Ayman Shenouda today congratulated Dr Eastwood.
“Dr Eastwood has acquired a well-deserved reputation for hard work, commitment and reliability and is a highly respected senior member of her GP Synergy team,” he said.
“In her role as Deputy Director of Training, she is sought out by staff for her judgment, leadership and dedication to general practice training. Dr Eastwood also tries to make time for others and help mentor those around her so that they can be better GPs.
“She has a genuine commitment to improving the lives of others, particularly members of the community who need extra help – one such example being the work she has done in refugee health.
“Dr Eastwood also plays an instrumental role in the successful progression of Australian Defence Force registrars through their training. So once again congratulations Dr Eastwood and I wish you all the best.”
Dr Eastwood said that she was humbled to accept the award.
“It is an honour to receive this award, particularly since Australia has a thriving community of skilled and dedicated medical educators, built on the efforts of predecessors such as Dr Corlis,” she said.
“By mentoring and making myself available, I hope to contribute in a small way, to the sustainability of this medical education community into the future and improve the training experience of our registrars.
“When we strive to help the next generation of doctors, we are not just doing it for them. We are putting in place the building blocks to ensure that patients in communities across Australia have access to the highest possible standard of care.
“Something that motivates me to invest time in the education and pastoral care of our registrars is the benefit of a positive training experience in reducing the risk of ‘burn out’.
“Some registrars do report feelings of isolation, particularly during that period of transitioning from working in a hospital to general practice and especially with the challenges of 2020.
“I would also like to acknowledge supervisor and practice support and programs such as peer mentorship, which can also contribute to the well-being of our registrars.”
The RACGP Awards recognise the value of GPs in our community, celebrating the achievements of exceptional individuals such as Dr Eastwood who go above and beyond to care for their patients.