My first GP epiphany involved a finger
One of my most magical moments at the movies as a child was watching The Miracle Worker. Anne Sullivan, a tutor, spells the word ‘water’…
Dr Pam Rachootin
Dr Rachootin is a GP in Adelaide, SA.
Real Case: How I drove a patient away
In my defence, if ignorance can ever be claimed as a defence, I had never even heard of the disease at that time, early in…
‘You can get me into bed any old time’: My mother’s plan to die laughing
A few weeks ago, I got a message to call the rehab hospital in Arizona where my 93-year-old mother was receiving therapy, post-hip fracture. As…
Real Case: My patient’s sore knees were the barometer of something more sinister
Some consults stick with you forever. This was one of them. A new patient came to see me. She said she had a regular GP…
Emergency medicine’s never been my forte, especially in my underwear
I’m sitting on the toilet, minding my own business, when trouble, once again announces itself with an alarming call. I hear an agonising cry of…
The RACGP could do a whole lot more to support GPs
I am feeling cynical about the 25 CPD points the RACGP is allocating to GPs for coronavirus-related learning. Could the generosity of this move somehow be related…
The day I realised the end of life is very much like the start
“The tears of old people are as terrible as the tears of children are natural.” Balzac, 1841 My day starts early. At 4am I can…
A tale of Michelangelo and my mother’s dementia
If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Distractions so upset the rhythm of one’s workday. This week it was a whopper. I was messaged from the…
Drugs and women: Two lockdown books I loved
During the lockdown I had the opportunity to read two non-fiction books that I can recommend. Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic…
This is why I love general practice
Novelty is one of the most exciting aspects of general practice. What a refreshing elixir it is to ponder unusual presentations of patients. Unexpected delights…
