We’re continuing to highlight our excellent doctors in training. This month, we hear from Dr Ameer Shehab
Name: Ameer Shehab
Pronouns: He/Him
State/Country: Victoria
Role in AMACDT: Co-Chair of GP Training Advisory Committee
Specialty: General Practice
What drew you to medicine?: I initially didn’t see myself pursuing medicine, but during high school I was fortunate enough to complete my work experience within a general practice. Seeing the care and support the doctors provided on a daily basis, and the sincere gratitude from the patients was what initially encouraged me to pursue it. Since then, with every step of my training and practice I have found myself falling more and more in love with this profession.
Who is your greatest hero or inspiration?: There are many that I could probably point to, but in the end I would say my parents. As an adult I can now fully appreciate the sacrifice they made in moving to Australia to look for a better life for us, and that I may have never completed all I have if not for them. They have always been keen to remind me that the most important thing is that I help others, and I’ll forever be thankful that they provided me a guide to do so.
How do you like to look after your wellbeing?: I like to embrace the child within. It helps keep things fun, and pull me away from clinic so I can return refreshed and ready to care for my patients. I enjoy reading widely and playing basketball, making sure to carve out time every day to engage in either.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: I envision myself continuing to work on creating my desired portfolio career. In clinic I’d like to have established myself as a GP providing advanced psychological services, and outside of clinic I’d like to still be advocating for my fellow GP colleagues, as well as sitting on a board or two.
What is your top advocacy priority and why? There is so much within general practice I would love to see improved so as to further strengthen our primary care system, but if I had to pick one as my ‘top priority’ it would be establishing a single employer model for all GP trainees. During my own training I have had to manage many of the biggest concerns regarding our current employment structure, including overwork, lack of leave, and remuneration. The single employer model would be a fantastic way for us to finally address all of the major concerns that both affect current GP trainees, and also keep many of our hospital colleagues from joining us in primary care.
What do you think is the biggest challenge for DiTs at present? Addressing the toll that our training experience is having on our health. Whether mental or physical, the current stressors of training are leaving some junior doctors feeling burnt out, disenfranchised and ambivalent about their futures within healthcare. The impacts are clear, and I would encourage all of us to continue making ourselves a priority in improving our training experience, and more broadly our lives, so we can continue providing care that both enriches our patients lives as well as our own.
What advice would you give to DiTs who would like to be more involved in advocacy? I would encourage that it is not hard to get involved at all. If you have a concern or passion you feel should be prioritised, we want to hear it. It’s as easy as sending an email or attending a meeting. If you are interested in getting involved, I would encourage that there is no feeling quite like seeing your vision for the future come to fruition, simply because you made your voice heard. I should also comment that the social aspect of advocacy has been so valuable to me – being able to spend time with similarly passionate people who understand all the same struggles that I do has helped keep me engaged and fulfilled as I navigate my early career.
