Statement from GPRA leadership on the passing of GPRA's first Patron; Professor John Murtagh AO
GPRA was saddened to receive the news on Monday 20th October 2025, that the foundational and first Patron for GPRA, including the General Practice Students Network (GPSN), had passed.
While many knew Professor John Murtagh AO, as the man who condensed the study of general practice into one book, which has since been translated into over 13 languages with multiple editions, he was also known to be one of the best educators of general medicine in Australia.
To us here at GPRA he was our first, our foundational, and energetic Patron – a fierce advocate for our members.
John was instrumental in advocating for an independent organisation for future GPs and making sure that throughout a doctors career, there were GP peer networks for them to connect with. He had a vision for an independent organisation that championed the voice of future GPs, coordinated a peer to peer network across the medical pipeline and just shy of our 25th year, his legacy will continue.
Professor John Murtagh AO in his lifelong dedication and passion for general practice, was incredibly generous with his time, advice and guidance to every GPRA member he met.
Hand on heart, there are thousands of GPs practising in Australia today who benefited from the networks he pioneered and supported – the General Practice Students Network (20 plus GP Clubs for medical students), the Future GP Network (prevocational doctors) as well as the GPRA Advisory Council (GP registrars).
From medical student to New Fellows, John had a vision for general practice and his peers. Our current Patron, Professor Michael Kidd AO was one of those former GP registrars who was exposed to the passion John had for general practice and says:
John had a profound influence on my own life and career, and on the lives of many others. His remarkable legacy will live on through the wisdom he shared so generously through his many books, and through the generations of young doctors, across Australia and around the world, who were influenced by his teachings. We will miss him.
Perhaps it is fitting for GPRA to leave the last words to John himself about being positive about the future of the general practice specialty:
“Almost every month I go somewhere in Australia to give a talk to students or the registrars at GPRA. I’m the author of a book they read. They want to meet the author, so I rotate around at various universities.”
“I enjoy teaching the undergraduate students because I’m still learning all the time. I learn from the students – they’re very interesting, gifted people.”
Rest in peace John – your respect for future GPs and your passion for general practice is unmatched.
Thankyou from GPRA.
