One of Ocean Grove’s most loved general practitioners is calling it a day.
Dr Barry Reid will hang up his stethoscope at the end of the month, calling time on a career that began in 1985 when the Coles carpark was just a “muddy paddock”.
Dr Reid said he hasn’t made any plans post-retirement other than being able to surf more waves at Beacon or Bancoora.
“I’m going to have to reinvent myself now and I’m not sure what I will do,” he said.
“Everyone keeps asking me what am I going to do.
“I’ve taken the approach that in these COVID times, you cannot plan a damn thing.
“So I won’t make any great attempt to plan because that leads to disappointment when COVID turns you over.
“I’m going to surf a lot more and I’ve developed an interest in playing the guitar in a band. We’re not professional, we’re just mates who play together.”
Dr Reid said he will miss his regular patients.
“I’ve had long term relationships with people,” he said.
“Going through their triumphs and tragedies. People getting over their illnesses.
“Being involved and living vicariously their life to a degree.”
Dr Reid said the after-hours work early in his career was one of the toughest aspects of the job.
“When you were on call you’d be out of bed three or four times a night and on the weekend you’d be going flat chat,” he said.
“We were first call for heart attacks and injuries and breaks so it was very demanding but now there’s the locum service that does the after hours and there’s the ambulance and there’s the private casualty departments in Geelong.
“It’s much easier now but it took its toll in the early days.”
Dr Reid said living and working in the same town had been a blessing.
“I live in Ocean Grove and work in Ocean Grove, and that doesn’t suit some doctors and some teachers don’t like it, but it’s never bothered me,” he said.
“People have never overstepped their relationship.
“Living and working in the same town has been valuable to me.”
Dr Reid said the best part of the job was the people he has met.
“The really lovely people who are happy for any little bit of help,” he said.
“People walking through that door who you would not normally meet who are from totally different social circles that you have nothing in common with, but I get to know them intimately.
“What won’t I miss? The other end of the spectrum. The demanding, nothing’s ever good enough.
“Even the bad stuff here I’ll miss. Mainly because of the opportunity to interact with people in a meaningful way.”
