Meet our members
Dr Toby Gardner
Dr Toby Gardner is a GP Practice Owner of two large group practices in Launceston and Director of their affiliated Urgent Care Centre.
Originally from the Gold Coast, he spent a number of years working in regional and rural areas in central Queensland before relocating to Tasmania with his young family in 2006, commencing GP training with General Practice Training Tasmania. He subsequently became a GP Supervisor and then Supervisor Liaison Officer with GPTT for over a decade, as well as being an active examiner with the RACGP over this time.
In 2021 he won the Australian GP Supervisor of the Year award, as well as Tasmanian General Practice of the Year. He has a part-time appointment with the University of Tasmania as a Senior Medical Lecturer responsible for their simulation programme, as well as teaching into the GP curriculum.
Toby is passionate about medical education, building the General Practice workforce in regional Australia and enjoys working in Urgent Care, maintaining an ongoing interest in development of professional standards for Urgent Care delivery in Australia through the establishment of the Urgent Care Special Interest Group.
Dr Alex Seidel
Why did you join the Faculty Council?
The RACGP has been very supportive of me, my family and my practice over the years and I felt it was time to give something back. I really enjoy the collegiality and learning from my peers.
What objectives do you have as a Council member?
As Deputy Chair, my main objective is to support our Chair Dr Toby Gardner in his role while also aiming to ensure the Tasmanian Faculty is the best and most supportive RACGP Faculty - perhaps we can attract more GPs to work with us here in Tassie!
What attracted you to a career in General Practice?
My rural placement as a third-year medical student in Nubeena. I couldn’t believe that doctors got to do so many different things! I love the relationships I get to build with my patients, and the wide variety of challenges that rural medicine in particular offers.
What has been your best moment as a GP?
The best moments are always when patients come back to thank you for something you have done that has made a difference to them, whether that’s an intervention, advice or just listening to them. It really makes it all worthwhile and often gives you a boost for the rest of the day.
What’s one thing you’ve learned that you think other GPs might benefit from?
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a great practice team around you, or failing that a supportive community to commiserate, celebrate and debrief with. Feeling part of a team that shares the same values as you, appreciating and being appreciated, and being able to share the workload can go a long way to preventing burnout in our profession.
What’s one thing we don’t know about you?
It’s lucky that I live on an island as I love being on and in the water, whether that is swimming, sailing or surfing. I just wish it was a little warmer sometimes!