New GP ready to treat at Teesdale

AFTER more than fifteen years as an emergency physician, Dr Emad Hassan has changed his area of speciality.

Last week he joined Teesdale Family Medical Centre as a general practitioner while training for accreditation with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.

He said he sees the move as the final stage in his career and a step towards an important life goal.

“Myself and my wife have this plan that once our kids are almost grown, we want to buy a farm in the area so I want to be qualified for this sort of job in the region,” he said.

“It’s certainly not easier than emergency. It has its own challenges, but it does connect you to the people. You see them more than once.

“In emergency work, you might never see them again, so this does add this personal connection, and Teesdale is still very close to Geelong while still being classed as remote.”

Dr Hassan has lived in Geelong since 2004 after migrating from Bagdad, Iraq with his family. He went on to train at Geelong Hospital and Barwon Health.

He said his interest in being a doctor stemmed from a family influence, with his four brothers also working in health services.

Alongside his work in Teesdale, Dr Hassan serves as director of medical training at Geelong’s Epworth Hospital while also working and teaching at the city’s St John of God, and Geelong hospitals.

Teesdale Family Medical Centre owner and director Shailesh Singh said Dr Hassan has filled a long-term vacancy for the practice, and improved their capabilities in many ways.

“Emad has very good experience in emergency and surgery, and it’s good for the community to have someone with that sort of hands-on experience,” he said.

“He’s a good asset. We haven’t been taking new patients for the past three years and now because of him we can do that and walk-ins too.”