College of GPs award for NT educator

Dr Kishan Pandithage, a Flinders NT Medical Program senior lecturer, has been honoured with the 2018 Standing Strong Together Award from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

The RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Award recognises Dr Pandithage’s significant support of the Indigenous General Practice registrar network in Australia and in particular his mentoring and teaching towards success for Indigenous registrars in attainment of Fellowship in General Practice. These are the specialist College assessments that lead to full recognition as Specialist General Practitioners.

Dr Pandithage was nominated by the Indigenous doctors in this network. He also is a Senior Medical Educator with NT General Practice Education.

Flinders NT Professor John Wakerman says the prestigious award is well-deserved recognition of Dr Pandithage’s significant achievements.

“He has passion for teaching and for social justice,” Professor Wakerman says.

“His efforts to support and mentor Indigenous medical graduates has earned him the respect of his colleagues and the appreciation of those who have benefited from his skills and commitment.

“We are all proud of our Flinders NT colleague.”

University of Adelaide graduate Dr Kishan Pandithage told newsGP he discovered country GP work while doing a fifth-year attachment at Kingston in SA’s Southeast.

Several years later he visited Darwin to take a break from a specialty program, and “never looked back”.

‘To me, this award is a confirmation of the privilege I have had in contributing to the education of Indigenous students and doctors for more than a decade now,” Dr Pandithage says.

“Over this time they have become family to me and it has been a great pleasure to watch them grow.”

When reflecting on his career, Dr Pandithage was struck by what appeals to him about the profession that has given him so much.

“I love the challenges general practice brings, as well as the ongoing mutually respectful partnerships we are able to build with our patients and their families,” he said.

“Our society is full of many specialists for differing focal areas and it lacks the holistic benefits that generalists bring to patient care.”

The RACGP awards were presented at the GP18 National Academic Fellowship and Awards Ceremony. Queensland GP registrar Dr Casey Kalsi received the Growing Strong Award.

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