25 Years of GPRA

Dr Grant Russell Q and A

Former National Trainees Association President

How and when were you involved with GPRA?

My involvement predates GPRA as it’s known today. In the 1980s, I was part of what was then the National Trainees Association, which later became the National Registrars Association, then the General Practice Registrars Association, and eventually General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA).

At the time, general practice training sat within the Family Medicine Program, later the GP Training Program. Each state had a Trainee Liaison Officer (TLO). The state based TLOs came together to form the National Trainees Association. The work of the NTA was driven by the national Trainee Liaison Officer and informed by a steering committee comprising TLOs from each state. Nevertheless governance structures were far less formalised than they are today.

I served as National President in 1989 during the vocational registration debate, appearing before a Senate Select Committee at a time of significant tension between the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the RACGP. It was a pivotal and political moment for general practice in Australia, and our evidence is recorded in Hansard.

Those early years were formative – and they laid important groundwork for the independent organisation GPRA would eventually become.

What did you learn through GPRA that has stayed with you and shaped your career or leadership journey?

Being involved in the Trainees Association was the first time many of us felt part of the broader health system rather than simply moving through training.

It opened the door to advocacy, policy and system-level thinking. It reinforced that registrars should have a voice and agency in shaping the future of the discipline.

I suspect many leaders in primary care today first developed their confidence and leadership skills through involvement in the registrars’ association. It would be fascinating to see how many have that experience on their CV.

Personally, while my career later expanded into research and academia, the most fulfilling part of my professional life continues to be clinical medicine. General practice’s contribution to individuals, families and communities is profound.

Looking back, how would you describe GPRA’s evolution as an organisation over the past 25 years?

The organisation has matured significantly in structure and capability.

In the 1980s, the then registrars had no CEO, no non-medical staff and limited administrative support. Governance was informal, and our influence was constrained by those realities.

Seeing GPRA today – with professional leadership, staff and strategic direction – positions it far more strongly to advocate for registrars.

In recent years, through renewed engagement, I’ve been particularly impressed by the enthusiasm and advocacy focus of CEO Jo-anne Chapman. Her energy and clarity around advocacy reflect how far the organisation has evolved. It made me reflect that having that level of dedicated executive leadership in our era would have been transformative.

General practice itself has matured enormously. In the 1980s, it wasn’t even universally recognised as a specialty – that was the crux of the vocational registration debate. GPRA’s development mirrors the profession’s own journey.

In 25 words or less, what should the next 25 years look like for GPRA?

Strong registrar advocacy grounded in core primary care principles, visible to medical students, and effective across both federal and state levels.

If you could give one piece of advice to today’s future GPs, what would it be?

Never forget the contribution you can make to individuals’ and families’ health and wellbeing.

General practice places you in a uniquely trusted and valued position in the community. Hold onto that.

Finish this sentence: “GPRA’s impact on general practice in Australia has been…”

…significant within the registrar space, with growing potential to strengthen its visibility and influence across primary care and future generations of GPs.”

 

 

About GPRA
General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is the national independent voice for future GPs in Australia (www.gpra.org.au

Note: The views shared in GPRA’s 25th anniversary interviews reflect the personal experiences and perspectives of each contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of General Practice Registrars Australia.