Meet your incoming National Chair for 2024:
Shawn Yang
What made you apply for the role of National Chair?
GPSN is an organisation which promotes a specialty that is often overlooked in health care. I think there is a lack of awareness of GP as a specialty, especially within medical school. Sarah has done an absolutely amazing job as National Chair this year and I want to continue the wonderful work she has done to increase the outreach of the organisation. I think general practice is an extremely unique specialty and there is ample opportunity for it to make an even bigger impact on the community. I also saw the role of Chair as an amazing position to learn and grow as a medical student, leader and educator. I am extremely excited to share what I learn from the role with the rest of the medicine community.
What is your vision for next year?
I think the most important thing GPSN can do is act as a source of education for students who are considering general practice as a specialty. My vision will be to empower the GPSN team to provide opportunities for medical students to fully appreciate the breadth of general practice and what it can offer. I think GPSN is well positioned to fill the lack of general practice education and I really want to expand into that sphere. Furthermore, I also believe GPSN can play a much larger role in advocacy. Keep your eyes open! There are a lot of exciting initiatives coming your way in 2024!
What do you like about general practice as a specialty?
General practice, the first point of contact in health care, deeply influences patients through continuity of care and genuine connection, often missing in clinical settings. General practitioners shape the public’s view of health care, as they are the professionals healthy individuals see most, offering a unique perspective on a patient’s overall health, considering their life and experiences. I think there is a strong perception that general practice is a career of no specialisation, but I have come to understand general practice is the specialty of general specialisation. General practitioners are the most able to perceive the health care of a patient, and understand their pathology and disease in context with their life and prior experience.
