For Dr Sudheera Amarasinghe, the move from hospital medicine into Australian general practice has been about more than a career change. It has offered the opportunity to pursue a long-held goal of working as a GP, achieve greater work-life balance and establish a new home for her family in regional Western Australia.
After working as a General Medicine Registrar at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals in Perth, Sudheera recently made the move south to Bunbury, where she is now working full-time at ForHealth Forrest Family Practice while progressing through the RACGP PEP Specialist pathway.
Just one month into her new role when we caught up with Sudheera and she shared her journey into general practice, how her hospital experience has helped prepare her for the transition and why Bunbury is already beginning to feel like home.
A medical career across three countries
Sudheera’s medical career has taken her across China, Sri Lanka and Australia.
She completed her medical degree at Tianjin Medical University in China, where she studied for five years before undertaking further clinical training. She later returned to Sri Lanka, her home country, where she completed her internship and continued building her medical experience.
Having previously worked in general practice in Sri Lanka, becoming a GP in Australia was always an important long-term goal for Sudheera.
After relocating to Australia, she initially began her Australian medical career within the hospital system, working in general medicine at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals.
This experience would ultimately provide an important foundation for her eventual transition into Australian general practice.
Why general practice?
For Sudheera, one of the biggest motivations for making the move into general practice was the opportunity to create greater balance between her career and family life.
As a mum to an eight-year-old daughter, moving away from hospital rosters and night shifts was particularly appealing.
The move has also given Sudheera the opportunity to continue developing her clinical interests, including paediatrics and dermatology, while enjoying the breadth and continuity of care offered by general practice.
How hospital experience helped with the transition
While moving from hospital medicine into general practice involves learning a different way of working, Sudheera believes her time within the Australian hospital system has made that transition considerably easier.
When she first arrived in Australia, becoming familiar with a new healthcare system presented its challenges. Working within a hospital allowed her to develop an understanding of how the Australian system operates, particularly around referrals, communication and navigating different services.
“Working in the hospital was very helpful for me because I knew how the referral system works and how the Australian healthcare system works.”
That knowledge has given her a strong foundation as she moves into community-based medicine.
Rather than learning both a new healthcare system and a new style of practice at the same time, Sudheera has been able to take the knowledge she gained in hospital and apply it to her new GP role.
Making the move from Perth to Bunbury
Sudheera’s transition into general practice also involved another significant change: relocating her entire family from Perth to Bunbury.
Having only moved to Australia the previous year, it meant another period of adjustment for Sudheera, her husband and their daughter, particularly as their daughter settled into another new school and began building a new group of friends.
Despite the challenges that naturally come with relocating, Sudheera says her family is settling in well and Bunbury is proving to be a great fit.
“Bunbury is amazing. It’s peaceful and everything is close by, my practice, my daughter’s school, and there is much less traffic. It’s very convenient.”
There has also been another important bonus: being close to the coast.
Having grown up in Sri Lanka, Sudheera says being near the ocean again has made her new home feel particularly special.
“I’m Sri Lankan and I come from an island surrounded by beaches, so I really missed the beaches. Now, within five minutes, I can be at the beach. That’s pretty amazing.”
Finding support in a new practice
One of the highlights of Sudheera’s first few weeks in general practice has been the support she has received from her new team at Forrest Family Practice.
Starting in a new clinical environment can be daunting, particularly while simultaneously navigating a new training pathway and settling into a new community. For Sudheera, having supportive colleagues around her has made a significant difference.
“I really like the practice. The Practice Manager is amazing, and my colleagues are very supportive.”
Supported through the move
Sudheera also credits the support she received from DXC Medical, and particularly her consultant Adelene, with helping make the transition from hospital medicine into general practice a smoother one.
From exploring the right opportunity through to relocating from Perth to Bunbury and beginning her new role, having someone to guide her through the process provided valuable support during what was already a big transition for her family.
“Adelene and the DXC team have been amazing throughout the process. Having that support while making such a big career and lifestyle change made the transition much easier.”
The next chapter
Sudheera is now continuing to settle into full-time general practice while progressing through the RACGP PEP Specialist pathway.
There is still plenty to navigate, from pathway requirements and mentoring to establishing a new routine for her family, but the move has brought her closer to the career and lifestyle she had been working towards.
Her experience also highlights how valuable hospital medicine can be as a stepping stone into Australian general practice. The clinical experience, understanding of local referral pathways and familiarity with the Australian healthcare system can all help make the move into community-based care feel more manageable.
For Sudheera, the transition has ultimately brought together several important goals: returning to general practice, creating greater work-life balance, continuing to develop her clinical interests and giving her family the opportunity to establish themselves in a new community.
And with a supportive practice, a new home in Bunbury and the beach just five minutes away, the next chapter is off to a promising start.
Thinking about making the move from hospital to general practice?
There may be more pathway options available to you than you realise.
From FSP, RVTS and ACRRM IP to the PEP Specialist pathway for doctors with eligible specialist qualifications, including MRCGP International South Asia, the pathway you qualify for can make a difference to your supervision requirements and the practices available to you.
Not sure which pathway applies to you?
Talk to the DXC Medical team. We can help assess your circumstances, explain your potential pathway options and supervision requirements, and connect you with practices that may be suitable for your transition into general practice.
Get in touch with our team to explore your options.
Contact:
Adelene Chew
Senior Consultant
DXC Medical Perth
+61 430 037 389
adelene.chew@dxcmedical.com.au
