GP AUSTRALIA

Dr Abbas Hussein

They say that things are bigger in Texas. When it comes to cattle, the QLD/NSW border town lives up to its reputation, being home to the southern hemisphere’s largest feedlot. But in terms of doctor numbers, it’s another story.

As the sole GP in a town of 1200, RVTS registrar Abbas Hussein starts his day at 7am with ward rounds. “I run the hospital with its 10 acute beds and 12 aged care beds,” he said. General practice follows and the day ends back in the hospital at around 8pm. He works three to four months straight, with locums providing the only chance for a break. “Despite the hours, I love practicing medicine and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

The Fijian political exile left his homeland in 1998 and went via a circuitous route through Queensland Health before discovering the practice and the Remote Vocational Training Scheme.

“RVTS has been very good for me,” he said, “It really is the only means by which we can attain skills and qualifications. There are a lot of positives in training while still working.” He particularly enjoys the clinical teaching visits. “The feedback they provide is essential.”

Despite his Texas-size workload, Abbas still finds time to take an active role in the community. “It’s a good community, a close-knit community,” he said, “But like so many rural towns, farming towns, it’s an ageing population. We really need an aged care facility; I’ve been pushing the idea with whoever will listen.” He is also involved in University of Queensland medical student clinical education and e-mentoring James Cook University students.

Abbas has lived in Texas since 2004. The origin of the town’s name is generally regarded as a reference to a local territorial dispute and borrowed from the infamous stoush between the United States and Mexico.

Case study contributed by the Remote Vocational Training Schemewww.rvts.org.au