Dr Kate Turnbull

I grew up in Melbourne catching trams, drinking lattes and enjoying all the trappings of a big city. After completing a Bachelor of Science at Melbourne Uni I moved to Geelong to study post graduate medicine at Deakin before completing my Intern and Resident years at University Hospital Geelong.

As a GP trainee I worked in the Western District but on achieving fellowship I settled in Kyneton. At the moment I work across all three Springs Medical sites in Kyneton, Trentham and Daylesford.  The region I work and live has the best of both worlds – beautiful forests and no traffic but still plenty of fancy cafes.

The first and most significant reason is because general practice provides varied work. As a medical student I found everything interesting and considered it a great loss and very boring to only focus on one body system exclusively for the rest of my professional life.

The second reason is that I knew General Practice would allow me to have more meaningful relationships with my patients.

My arrival at rural general practice is a testament to how programs and interventions aimed at medical students can play an important role in nudging some people towards rural careers.  

I was offered a rurally bonded Commonwealth funded place at medical school and so I when I accepted the offer, I was prepared that I would spend at least some of my career in the county.

I joined the student rural health club at Deakin. We had great events aimed at celebrating rural medicine and there were lots of opportunities to learn about all the fun that could be had as a rural doctor.

In my third year of medicine, instead of doing the hospital based clinical placements I spent the whole year in Daylesford and had a blast. I had authentic, meaningful exposure to patient care and at that point the deal was sealed.

What I love most about rural general practice is that it the work is challenging and varied. I never have a dull day.

The first day I did a COVID vaccine clinic. After waiting so long and having spent so much time in lockdown it was an incredible feeling to administer my first COVID vaccine to a patient. I will say though, the elated feeling did subside somewhat after about the hundredth jab!

Listen, learn and advocate.