Broadford’s Doctor Geetha Venkatram was recently honoured at the Stronger Medicare Awards for her 20-year commitment to healthcare at Parliament House in Canberra.
From a pool of more than 140 nominations Australia-wide, Dr Venkatram was selected as one of 11 Victorian finalists and celebrated for her exceptional contributions to the medical field.
As a doctor who has seen four generations of Broadford residents, Dr Venkatram has become a trusted pillar of the community, providing care and support to families in need.
Her journey into rural healthcare began in Melbourne, where Dr Venkatram initially worked in mental health. One of her patients, who had travelled from a rural area to access healthcare, mentioned that such areas lacked general practitioners (GP), and as a result, were unable to receive the diagnoses and care that they required.
The patient’s story struck a personal chord with Dr Venkatram, as he reminded her of her own grandfather, who had also come from a rural community.
So when the city-based doctor discovered that the Broadford Medical Clinic had an opening 20 years ago, she quickly boarded the V/Line train and never looked back.
Since then, Dr Venkatram has been dedicated to supporting hundreds of veterans and those seeking general health check-ups.
“What I feel [is that the] rural community, that they’ve [been] forgotten. They don’t get the right help, we don’t have enough resources,” she said.
“I’ve got veterans who come far away from Wagga Wagga, my patients who are all now in [the] police force … I worked in defence, I know how hard it is. So, I really took this passion from the last many years to talk to the advocates.”
A typical day can see Dr Venkatram work for 18 hours, tirelessly providing care to her patients.
Even during the toughest of times, and particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Venkatram never missed a day of work, navigating through mountains of paperwork among other tasks.
But her commitment to healthcare doesn’t end when she clocks out.
Dr Venkatram is also a volunteer at the World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA), where she shares her personal experience of Australian healthcare with the committee.
Having mentored and supervised nearly 15 international medical graduate registrars, Dr Venkatram also supports the professional development of staff in the medical workforce.
Additionally, she supports newly arrived doctors navigate the Australian healthcare system, and guides them towards achieving their fellowship.
Dr Venkatram said being a finalist at Medicare’s 40th year was both humbling and inspiring.
“It represents a culmination of years of dedication, perseverance, and a deep-rooted passion for improving rural healthcare,” she said.
“It reflects the hard work of my team, the resilience of the communities we serve, and a growing awareness of the critical issues in rural health.
“It motivates me to push harder, to innovate further, and to continue advocating for those who often feel forgotten.”
