A career in primary health care: never a dull moment
Every day brings a new challenge for Associate Professor Rowena Ivers, a GP who has worked mainly in Aboriginal health settings for more than 25 years.
Medical student placements in remote NSW and the Tiwi Islands inspired her to undertake GP training in the NT, where she worked in remote general practices by day, and aeromedical retrieval by night.
Associate Professor Ivers has continued to work in Aboriginal health, as well completing a Master in Public Health.
“Working in Aboriginal health there’s a real multidisciplinary team approach and a focus on preventive health,” she says. “There are a lot of disparities, especially in areas where people haven’t had access to services, but you can make a big difference. There are challenges, but it’s never dull.”
She hopes to inspire other primary health care professionals to gain a deeper understanding of general practice. Associate Professor Ivers also lectures at the University of Sydney as an advocate for primary health training which she says, can help doctors enhance their scope of practice, into areas including primary health care policy, research and teaching.
