A RENMARK doctor who has spent almost 50 years serving the local community and advocating for rural healthcare was honoured at the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) Awards recently.
Dr David Rosenthal, who has worked at the Renmark Medical Clinic since 1974, said he was “overwhelmed” to receive the lifetime achievement award at the ceremony, held at the Renmark Club.
“You don’t look for these things, that’s not the way it should be, but I’m grateful for the recognition,” he said.
After growing up in Renmark, Dr Rosenthal studied as an obstetrician-gynaecologist in Adelaide before he decided to return to his hometown as a GP.
“I knew rural general practice would be interesting but it was scary,” he said.
“Up until that time I was used to being in teaching hospitals where there’s lots of support, so coming out here I had to get used to it, and it took a while.
“We didn’t have the array of resources that we have now up here – we didn’t have the regional hospital because it was just the Berri hospital, the same as the other towns.
“We had to be relatively self-sufficient.”
Dr Rosenthal’s contributions to healthcare in the Riverland also extend to his work in education, including his involvement in the Rural Health Channel and helping establish the Flinders University training program in Renmark.
“We’re starting to see, particularly in this region, a very strong recognition that the best way to attract doctors to rural practices and hopefully seeing them stay is to grow your own,” he said.
“We knew that there were people going through that student training pathway that really wanted to be in rural practice, but then they got lost when they went to Adelaide.
“I think it’s important to fix that because if there is a pipeline that’s not leaking and medical students and young doctors who want to get on a rural trajectory have the opportunity to do it by training for rural generalism, it will benefit rural communities.
“The thing that’s driven me is to see rural practice advanced and recognised for what it is.
“Of course, it’s not just about the rural practice, it’s what the community gets out of it.”
Mr Rosenthal also served as the founding president of the Rural Doctors Association of South Australia and as national president of the Rural Doctors Association.
“It’s amazing the amount of work you put in for what’s very minimal change really, but I hope in this region there are people who want to continue carrying the banner because, in the end, it is the communities that will prosper,” he said.
Waikerie GP Dr Ken Wanguhu received an award for outstanding contribution to RMCLHN by GPs, contractors and partners, while Berri Barmera Health Advisory Council presiding member Josie Nelsson was given the award for outstanding contribution by health advisory members and volunteers.