The University of Western Australia has marked the 50th anniversary of its Discipline of General Practice, celebrating five decades of contribution to medical education, research and community health.
The event brought together past and present staff, alumni, students, general practice preceptors and leaders from across the profession to reflect on the Discipline's history since its establishment in 1976, and to honour those who helped establish General Practice as a recognised academic discipline at UWA and within Australian universities.
The event was organised by Associate Professor Nahal Mavaddat, Head of the UWA Discipline of General Practice. Distinguished guests included Foundation Professor Max Kamien and founding academic Peter Underwood, who shared reflections on the Discipline's early years and its pioneering role in community-based medical education, alongside Helen Wilcox, Dean of the UWA Medical School and the first general practitioner appointed to lead the School.
Other speakers included Dr Joanne Wong, a former academic GP registrar and the winner of several awards and scholarships, now completing her PhD with the GP Discipline on “developing and evaluating educational interventions for healthcare professionals on miscarriage”, and medical student Sowmiya Wigneswaran, President of the UWA General Practice Students Network (GPSN).
Associate Professor Mavaddat said during the past 50 years, the Discipline had helped shape generations of medical graduates, supported by dedicated GP educators and community-based GP supervisors, and contributed research that had informed primary care practice and policy.
“Our research has addressed some of the most important challenges facing our communities, including in the areas of Aboriginal health, rural health, mental health and women's health,” she said.
“In the past five years alone, Discipline staff and adjuncts have produced more than 100 research publications, including important contributions in widely read primary care and Q1 medical journals on breast and prostate screening, Aboriginal women’s health, metabolic health, adolescent mental health, and medical student and doctor wellbeing, that have impact and policy implications.
“Today, we continue to advance excellence in general practice through innovative teaching, a growing research program, the development of future academic leaders through our academic registrar program, with six funded academic registrars allocated to UWA over the past five years through the nationally competitive RACGP Academic Registrar Program, the supervision of our higher degree students, and a commitment to improving health outcomes.”
A recent Commonwealth grant of $646,512 to the UWA Medical School for ‘Strengthening the GP Workforce’ adds to opportunities at the School to strengthen general practice.
“As we look to the future, we remain committed to advancing the role of general practice within healthcare and to supporting future generations of doctors and general practitioners who will care for communities across Western Australia and beyond,” Associate Professor Mavaddat said.