One of Tamworth's most experienced doctors has been elected to the head of a powerful council representing all rural doctors, nationwide.
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Doctor Ian Kamerman told the Leader the biggest challenge he will have to grapple with as the new chair of the Australian Medical Association's federal council of rural doctors is simple:
"Workforce, workforce, workforce and workforce?" he said.
"Rural workforce is beyond crisis point."
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Dr Kamerman said that rural health care is struggling partly because general practice itself is less popular as a speciality, across Australia.
"When I started medicine, in the 70s ... half of us as graduates entered general practice," he said.
"Now the number's like 15 per cent. That's much less than what Australia needs to maintain a quality health system."
He said the AMA could help solve the shortage crisis by working with other stakeholders like the federal government to make the specialty a more popular one for new graduates, by increasing Medicare rebates available to private GP clinics, for instance.
Now, the principal at East Tamworth Medical Centre, he has worked as a general practitioner in Tamworth for 17 years.
The role gives him a direct line to the executive and president of the powerful body representing Australian doctors. He defeated two other candidates in an election open to all rural doctor AMA members.
Dr Kamerman is the third doctor to hold the position and the first outside Queensland, he said.
"I was very lucky that I had the support of a number of my colleagues and was successful," he said.
"Anyone coming into a leadership position in medicine these days, faces a significant number of challenges.
"And, yeah, I'm sort of ready for the challenge.
"It probably means I'll be in Canberra a bit more often then what I'd like but also intend to get out there around the traps."
Outside promoting and protecting the professional interests of doctors - it bills itself as "the peak professional body for doctors in Australia" - the AMA has enormous formal and media influence over medical policy.
The association tends to be among the first consulted by the federal government on any proposed reform to health policy, and among the first quoted on medical issues in the media.
The AMA Council of Rural Doctors is one of just five sub-units granted responsibility for the development of association policy with regard to special areas of medicine. Others include a council of general practice, representing GPs, and another representing doctors in public hospitals nationwide.
The body "develops new, and revises existing, policy on issues that relate to the delivery of health services and remote medical and workforce issues in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia," according to the AMA website.
Dr Kamerman's current term as chair will last two years.
He was also admitted to the AMA roll of fellows, an honour recognising outstanding contributions to the profession of medicine, earlier this month.
He is also the secretary of the NSW branch of the Rural Doctors' Association.
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