Dr Carlo Bellini

Placement: Ocean Keys Family Practice/Joondalup Health Campus Emergency Department

I cannot recommend the Community Residency Program strongly enough.  Prior to committing to the program, the thought of departing from the more secure and familiar hospital setting stirred feelings of apprehension, anticipation and excitement.  Now having worked in General Practice, I find much of the hospital medicine I have experienced has been consolidated in the community medicine environment.

The learning curve has been far steeper than I expected, continually being faced with everyday problems and challenges requiring a huge breadth of knowledge.  The ability to work with people from all walks of live in a community medicine environment is an incredibly rewarding privilege and I continually find people saying how difficult it is to find a good GP, and have come to appreciate how much patients value an excellent community medicine practitioner.

I am continually challenged, solving everyday medical problems.  In the short time I have worked at one practice, I have regular patients and look forward to our consults and the continuity of care, working as a team with patients and other health care providers to improve health.

This opportunity to experience General Practice would not have been possible without the Community Residency Program.  My mentors, Dr Tim Koh and Dr Derrick Kuan, have been instrumental in laying the foundation to maximise the usefulness of the term, and provide invaluable support in teaching, mentoring and making work enjoyable.  WAGPET has also ensured the implementation of the program has been as smooth as possible, and I find myself continually recommending the program to many residents who keenly question me, wanting to know how they can get involved.

Participating in the Community Residency Program has certainly given me the inside perspective of General Practice and drives my desire to participate in a full time General Practice placement.  It also has significantly increased my interest in a career in General Practice.  While I wish to explore all options to broaden my skill base and experience other fields, the hands-on approach in such a supportive community medicine environment has certainly proven how General Practice offers the perfect blend of clinical medicine, continuity of care, business and importantly diversity desirable in any career in medicine.