Life as a GP
Dr Vanessa Siu
Vanessa recently completed her GP Training with GP Synergy Sydney in a general pathway.
Why did you become a GP?
I chose to do GP for a number of reasons including exposure to all areas of medicine, holistic patient care, flexibility in work and a chance to make a difference in people's everyday life.
What do enjoy about being a GP?
I enjoy the different perspective on life that I gain from the different interactions with patients. There is also the rewarding side of managing a patient through a complex problem and seeing the results that come about.
What are the more challenging aspects of being a GP?
The challenging aspects are working out your boundaries as a person and a professional. There are also the aspects of keeping up to date with the best management of different problems and making use of all the resources available to you as a GP and to your patients in the community.
What was your experience like as a GP Registrar in general & specifically with GP Synergy Sydney*?
The support and training with GP Synergy Sydney* has been great during my training. The staff have always been friendly and approachable. I have been impressed with the organisation, efficiency and relevancy of the education and training they provide and I really feel they have provided a broad foundation for my future.
Is being a GP different to how you thought it would be like? Any unexpected benefits/drawbacks?
I was a bit worried that being a GP would be taken over by coughs and pap smears. But I've found that in fact there is much more interesting medicine to see and interesting people to meet that it really widens your perspective on life itself.
What was your rural rotation like?
The rural rotation was a great experience. The people were a lot grateful for the service and being appreciated made the job all the more worthwhile. The medicine was interesting. There was lots of opportunities to meet other doctors in the town and surrounding areas as well as the specialists within the hospital.
Would you recommend others consider a career in GP?
I would definitely recommend this as a career. You won't get bored because of all the different things that you see. There is also so much opportunity to sub-specialise and really tailor your work to your interests.