WHEN Associate Professor George Razay saw a job advertised at the Launceston General Hospital he called a friend to make sure it would be worth his while to apply.
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About 20 years later, the Syrian-born geriatrician stands as testament to the city’s ability to attract and retain medical professionals from interstate and overseas.
‘‘I wouldn’t have found another place where I can work as a full-time physician and at the same time I can do full-time research,’’ Associate Professor Razay said.
‘‘Twenty years later I have enjoyed my stay here. It is a wonderful place.’’
LGH respiratory physician Dr James Markos has calculated that about half of the hospital’s 140 consultants were born overseas.
His figures reveal many were born in Asia – about 19 per cent, with a further 17 per cent from Europe.
The data stands in contrast to general Australian figures, which show about a quarter of residents were born in another country.
Dr Markos said there were huge benefits to having a diverse workforce, particularly in an increasingly diverse society.
‘‘To have an interest and understanding of two cultures is a real bonus because you immediately become more tolerant,’’ he said.
‘‘The human body is the same no matter your culture, no matter your beliefs. We have more the same than we have differences.
‘‘It’s the same body, the same illness, the same things that can go wrong.
‘‘Doctors by that nature are more likely not to see different cultures.’’
The LGH has promoted multiculturalism through evenings dedicated to celebrating different cultures.
Many staff also participate in humanitarian work overseas, including LGH nurse and Care for Africa executive director Diana Butler, and director of intensive care Scott Parkes, who worked in West Africa during the Ebola crisis.
University of Tasmania medical student and LGH intern Haikal Mohd Nasir said moving from busy Malaysia to Tasmania had presented some difficulties but he had enjoyed the experience.
‘‘With my accent, sometimes patients might have some difficulty listening to me, but I can use simple words,’’ he said.
Associate Professor Razay said there were plenty of positives of working in a smaller city, citing the sense of community and ability to have a close relationship with patients as reasons to stay.
He said his career – which saw him study in Syria, England and in other states of Australia – had given him a wealth of experience from which his patients could benefit.
‘‘It’s a different experience because you meet different people, different contacts, and it adds to your experience, and it makes you appreciate the place you are in now,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m happy to stay here.’’