Gaynor Graham, GP Partner in Rural Practice

 What is your current role – what was your path to get here?

I’m a GP partner in Rinnes Medical group, based in Dufftown with a branch surgery in Tomintoul and an attached 18 bed community hospital. I graduated from Aberdeen University in 2004 and following a good experience as a student at Raigmore hospital in Inverness, I did my PRHO jobs there. This involved a 4 month stretch at Dingwall Health centre, which gave me a good insight into the role of a GP.

From there I went to Australia for a year and worked in a rural hospital in South East Queensland and whilst there applied for GP training. I was successful in this and started in Aug 2006 with a medical job in Shetland. I then went on to do paediatrics and A+E in Raigmore, followed by 6 month placement in Drumnadrochit  Health centre (a dispensing practice at the time), and a year long post in Grantown-on-Spey Health centre. I got my CCT in 2009.

I started a Career Start post in Aug 2009 based in the Maryhill practice in Elgin, with 2 sessions a week dedicated to a special interest in gynaecology and paedatrics, based at Dr Gray’s hospital. This gave me a chance to experience a more urban practice and consolidate GP skills, as well as developing a special interest, particularly in gynaecology.

When the career start post ended in Aug 2011 I spent a few months as a locum, before taking up my current post in Dec 2011.

What does your role involve?

A bit of everything! Routine surgeries, hospital ward rounds and admissions, home visits, seeing casualties, and occasional BASICS responder calls. I also do coil fittings, implanon insertion and removal and ring pessary fittings.

What influenced your decision to be a GP?

I worked as a receptionist in a big and busy inner city practice in Aberdeen in the holidays when  I was a student. When I started medical school general practice was very low on my list of potential careers, however this changed my view of general practice completely and encouraged me to pursue it further.

What do you think about your career now?

I’m really enjoying my current job with the new challenges of being a partner and living and working in a rural community. I’m looking forward to the continuity which will come from being here for many years.

What do you like most about your work?

The variety. Every day is different and the different tasks which come from having a hospital/casualty and practice as well as a very rural branch surgery means there’s rarely a dull moment.