For most general practitioners (GPs), a day in the office follows a familiar routine. But for Nick, a GP with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) based in Cairns, every day is a little different, and unlike most, his day begins in the sky.
After an initial six-month contact, Nick quickly knew this was where he wanted to be. Today, he is a permanent member of the Cairns team, delivering the finest care in the top end of Queensland.
Here’s what a day at work looks like for Nick.
6:00am
I wake up and get ready for the day, drop the kids off at child care and then head to the base.
7:00am
At the base, I meet up with the rest of the team, including fellow medical officers, nurses, sometimes a mental health clinician, and of course, our pilot. Once we’ve gone through our briefing for the day, we board the aircraft and prepare to take off. Today we are off to Croydon, which is about an hour flight or over an eight-hour drive from Cairns.
8:00am
We’re in the air. Seeing Northern Queensland from above never gets old. Most days, we have multiple stops, depending on the teams we have on board. I might be dropped off first, or I might get a little more airtime, and another team will go first.
Whilst on board we chat about our plan for the day or simply socialize and have a yarn. After that I either read about the latest guideline updates, or more often than not have a snooze until we reach our destination
9:00am
Once we land, we’re often met by a community member who kindly drives us to the clinic.
The Croydon clinic also operates a wildlife rescue service, which means we get to hang out with the cutest local community members before we start for the day.
We spend some time setting up and getting organised for a day of appointments.
Our remote day clinics function just like a regular GP practice in the city, with a full day of scheduled patients.
We see and manage a combination of the bread and butter conditions that you see in a more urban setting, but also many conditions that you only see in medical textbooks.
Occasionally, we deal with acute emergencies that require us to stabilise a patient and give our aeromedical friends a call to come collect them if necessary.
It’s incredibly rewarding work. I’m proud to be part of a team that delivers such vital care to communities who would otherwise have to travel long distances for basic health support.
5:00pm
After finishing up at the clinic, we make our way back to the airstrip for our return flight to Cairns, where I get to come home to my family. Being about to fly to across the state to service a community in need and be able to come home in time to have dinner with my family is the kind of thing you can’t find anywhere else.
If you or someone you know is looking for a rewarding career change, consider becoming a Real Flying Doctor. It is more than just a job; it’s a chance to work with purpose, tackle diverse clinical challenges, and be part of a team that’s trusted across the state.
Learn more here.
