MEDICAL professionals across the Goulburn Valley were well represented at the 2022 Victorian Rural Health Awards (VRHA), which acknowledge the vast spectrum of excellence in healthcare as well as lifetime dedication to servicing rural communities.
Dr James Teh from Rich River Health Group was one of six doctors to receive the Length of Service Award. Following medical school at Melbourne University, Dr Teh completed an internship in Bairnsdale and later met and fell in love with a country girl from Bendigo.
“I was fortunate to do my rural generalist training in England, where I learnt obstetrics and anaesthesia. We returned to Australia, and I accepted a job in Echuca, where we’ve been ever since and where we raised our children.”
Dr Teh said he loves working and living in a small community, where he can provide “complete medical care” to patients. He is enjoying training future rural generalists, of which his son is in medical school training to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Shepparton’s Dr Viyaj Raj from Healthy Mind Solutions (HMS) received the Outstanding Contribution by a Rural Medical Specialist.
Dr Raj completed the final years of psychiatry training in Shepparton and started HMS here in 2021, familiar to the needs to the area. He is interested in making the best technology therapies available in the regions and providing an integrated care model.
“If one treatment doesn’t work, we want to find options that help. Having access to a range of allied health professionals gives our patients and participants hope knowing that they have a wide range of support at home,
“It’s been very rewarding to help out in the country, being recognised by this award inspires us forward to do even more,” said Dr Raj.
Jane Garrett from Euroa Medical Clinic was acknowledged for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Practice Management.
Starting out as a medical receptionist at 18, she made her mark in Melbourne managing various roles.
“Beginning as medical receptionist was a fantastic way to start off and move through the industry. It is a diverse job with a lot of opportunities to learn new things,”
“It’s a nice feeling working in the country,” she said. “You receive more feedback in the regions, which has helped me and helped the clinic to tailor services to what regional Victorians need.”
The GP clinic has had to adapt into an urgent care centre and in four years, Mrs Garrett has facilitated great change, providing the community with countless services including cardiology, general surgery, physiotherapy, podiatry, exercise physiology, optometry, and telehealth.
