Teaching the next generation of GPs

Moreton ATSICHS GP, Dr Richard Mills has received one of the UQ Medical School’s GP Clinical Teacher Awards for 2024 for “exceeding expectations as a teacher and mentor.” Dr Richard has worked across the IUIH network for 17 years, including working as a GP at Moreton ATSICHS Caboolture since its opening in 2015. 

We yarned with Dr Richard about his years of experience and what it means to be recognised for his important work as an educator.  

What led you to work at IUIH? 

I was working in the UK and I picked up this book from a shop in Oxford about Aboriginal primary care. I started reading it and thought I’d like to find out a bit more. I took a sabbatical from my job, intending to stay in Australia for three years. Seventeen years later and I’m still here. Quite a long sabbatical… 

What inspires you to teach? 

Having learners in the place you’re working brings awareness to how we’re practicing. It reinforces our own knowledge and allows us to connect with what interests and motivates us on our learning journey. Students bring their own knowledge and experiences with them – and they ask important questions! Involvement in teaching challenges us to justify what we are doing, why we do it the way we do and consider if we could be doing better. Plus, having young people around always helps liven up the place! 

You’ve been awarded UQ Medical School’s GP Clinical Teacher for 2024. How did you feel when you found out? 

It was a surprise, actually, and quite nice to think that students thought I was worth nominating. 

How do you approach teaching incoming students, especially those who haven’t worked in Community Controlled Health? 

I start by asking them what they’re expecting, what their hopes are and what they’d like to learn. Together, we try and identify what experiences they may have been lacking in previous placements so I can figure out what tasks align with their learning needs. 

I think a lot of students are quite surprised by the nature of our consults – being a GP and working in an Aboriginal Health Service isn’t all about seeing coughs or colds. Our consults might start with a list of physical symptoms, but we try to contextualise them within a holistic approach to client wellbeing.  

How is working at IUIH different? 

AT IUIH, you’re working as part of a team. Here, it’s a much more collaborative environment where the importance of collegial relationships is emphasised. I’m surrounded by experts in their fields, including non-medical ones, and that allows us to deliver a more comprehensive service for clients.  

Do you have any ‘words of wisdom’ for people considering work in the medical field? 

I think there’s a lot of anxiety from people entering the medical field – some graduates fear being stressed and overworked, and of course, many leave university with a lot of debt. I still encourage people that it’s a great career to pursue. There’s more than enough to keep anyone interested and enthusiastic for their whole working life. At the end of it, you can know you’ve not just contributed to people’s health journeys, but through the process, have done some good.