AS 1987 ushered in the arrival of Medical Observer, it was also a year that welcomed the births of a number of future doctors – and hopefully MO readers – including now third year medical student Anna Thai.

Midway through her medical degree at the University of Sydney, Ms Thai is currently completing a year of her studies in the university’s rural clinical school in Dubbo. While she is yet to commit to a career in general practice, her foray into rural life – which at present sees her on placement in a GP clinic in Parkes – is providing plenty of experience to fuel her enthusiasm for the profession.

“I had heard great things about rural general practice but I really wanted to experience it myself. It has actually exceeded my expectation – I really love it here... The flexible working hours mean that you can dictate how much or how little you want to work,” she says.

“There is also a great amount of scope [in general practice] so you can do so many things – you can work in a clinical practice part time and do administration and academia as well. So it is like the field of practice itself in that you are not limited to one body system per se. It is quite broad, which suits my personality – I like variation and I get bored easily,” she laughs.

As one of the next generation of doctors, Ms Thai is optimistic about the future of the profession, which she believes will see an increasing trend toward patients’ involvement in and ownership of their own health care.

“With the transition to e-health and patient control over their own e-health record, there does seem to be a move away from the ‘paternalistic’ model of care.”