Dr Sam Manger named Queensland’s GP of the Year by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

A popular Sunshine Coast doctor has been named the state’s best, just reward for his efforts going above and beyond for patients.

A Sunshine Coast doctor’s commitment to his patients and community has landed him the top honour of being named Queensland’s GP of the Year.

Based in Maleny, Dr Sam Manger, who was awarded by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said his work as a rural GP, including in Aboriginal community controlled health services, had been an “incredibly rich and rewarding experience”.

Dr Manger said he aimed to ensure each patient’s medical experience was one which addressed every aspect of their health.

“I have a strong interest in whole of person and multidisciplinary care,” Dr Manger said.

Dr Sam Manger has been named the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' Queensland GP of the year.

“Rather than just fixing a problem and moving to the next patient I think that a good GP needs to apply creative thinking and develop a strong relationship with patients over many years.”

Dr Manger said in the nearly 10 years he’d been practising medicine, he was pleased to see an increase in people, including medical professionals, addressing their mental health.

“I am also extremely passionate about mental health and do a lot of work in this space,” he said.

“That includes my role as an ambassador to Equally Well Australia and I regularly support and promote the mental health and wellbeing of GPs and health professionals.

“I have my own podcast for health professionals too, which is really rewarding. It’s called The GP Show and I have been hosting this show with expert guests since 2017.”

Dr Manger has worked alongside his community both on the Sunshine Coast and through his work at James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry, and he encouraged other medical professionals to see where they can go the extra mile for their patients.

“Being the best GP you can be also involves integrating yourself at a community level,” he said.

“I have spoken at a wide range of public events including the Woodford Folk Festival and the Transitions Film Festival and run online workshops for the public in areas of health promotion to improve understanding of health and wellbeing.

“For anyone considering a career as a rural GP I would strongly recommend you give it a try.

“You are a valued and integral member of your local community and the opportunities to expand your skill set are immense.”

RACGP president Dr Karen Price congratulated this year’s winners.

“The RACGP Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work of GPs and their teams in caring for their communities,” she said.

“This year’s Queensland winners have truly gone above and beyond for their patients and contributed to the health of their communities.”

Originally published as Dr Sam Manger named Queensland’s GP of the Year by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners