Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Health Council Representative, RACGP Rural Council
Born in Mount Isa Qld and then growing up on property between Kempsey and Macksville rural living is imprinted in his DNA. Lucas lives in Coffs Harbour on Gumbaynggirr land with his wife and children. He is a specialist general practitioner and has also completed a Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice at Coffs Harbour and Macksville Emergency Departments. He has worked his way through the healthcare ranks. He started as a personal carer at age 18, completed nursing training and worked for many years in psychiatry and emergency.
Lucas has always had a keen interest in learning and improving health outcomes for rural people so in 2012 started studying medicine at the university of Newcastle.
Apart from medicine, Lucas has a passion for improving outcomes for Aboriginal Australians and is a director of Ngiyaa Waaru-Bin, Ngiyaa Ganga (Our people, Our future) Aboriginal corporation.
Find out more about Lucas below
Currently work at Coffs Medical Centre and Bellingen District Hospital.
I love the relationship that you build with patients over time. I find general practice the most challenging area of medicine which I like because I get bored easily.
I have always grown up in rural areas. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.
I like the constant challenges and learning.
There have been so many it is hard to pinpoint. Recently I learnt how to diagnose and treat brucellosis and how to differentiate between acute and chronic infections (not serology). That was a challenging case.
Share my voice and represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island doctors.
Contact your RACGP Rural Council
racgp.org.au/rural | 1800 636 764 | rural@racgp.org.au