GP Journeys: From Sri Lanka to Griffith

Dr Joy Babington is a highly-qualified general practitioner, who recently made the move from Sri Lanka to the thriving regional town of Griffith, in the Riverina region of NSW, to commence employment with Your Health medical practice.

But at one point, he thought his dream of living and working in Australia would never become a reality.

With a career spanning over 14 years in his home country of Sri Lanka, Dr Joy has worked in a wide range of medical departments in both government healthcare and private practice settings, but in the back of his mind was always the hope that he would one day live and work in a country like Australia.

“I really wanted the opportunity to work in a Westernised medical system, and experience healthcare in Australia firsthand, especially as many of my friends had made the transition and had great experiences,” says Dr Joy.

Visiting his sister in Australia only cemented for Dr Joy that this was where he wanted to move. However in 2022 he sat the PESCI exam and didn’t pass it, so thought his hope of getting medical registration in Australia was over.

“If it wasn’t for Darren at DXC Medical, who encouraged me to try for the PESCI exam again, I don’t think I would have pursued it any further,” he says.

“But Darren saw that I’d missed out by a very small margin, and convinced me it was worth trying again.”

Dr Joy was successful in passing the PESCI exam with the Institute of Medical Education (IME), and is now practicing under Limited Registration, Level 1 supervision in his GP role with Your Health in Griffith, as well as being part of the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (now known as the Pre-Fellowship Program).

Moving to the rural location, which is approximately 500km from both Sydney and Melbourne in central NSW, Dr Joy said his new employer has been helpful in assisting him with finding accommodation and helping him find his way around the town.

“It’s been really nice so far. The town is beautiful and people are friendly. I’ve traveled to other parts of Australia before, but I feel like now I’m seeing a really authentic country town, and my job is helping me to connect with people in the local community,” he says.

Griffith is a thriving regional hub, known for its rich food and wine culture, and the area is home to award-winning restaurants, wineries, vineyards, orchards and amazing fresh produce. The town is also known for its lake, festivals and events and locations nearby such as Cocoparra National Park and the Murrumbidgee River, ideal for day trips and camping, so there is plenty for Dr Joy to explore. 

Looking to the future, Dr Joy plans to complete his Fellowship and secure permanent residency, so that he can continue his medical career in Australia.

Reflecting on his support from DXC Medical, he remains grateful for the help provided by Darren and Shayla in helping his Australian working aspirations come true.

“They’ve made the whole process really easy. Shayla knew exactly what I needed in terms of paperwork requirements to get my working registration sorted, and they’ve kept in touch with me the whole time so that we could reach this point together,” says Dr Joy.

We wish Dr Joy all the best for his new life in Griffith, and we look forward to working with other doctors keen to find rewarding professional placements in rural and regional Australia.

If you’re considering a new GP role, our Vacancy Map and Search Jobs functions allow you to filter our jobs by location, training pathway, keyword and job type.

For more information on anything included in this blog, please contact:

Darren Compton

0405 234 852

darren.compton@dxcmedical.com.au