Dr Pragati Gautama

Clinical Leader DRHMNZ/Rural Hospital Doctor & GP

FRNZCGP, FDRHMNZ

I think of myself as a Rural Generalist , and have had a wide experience in a number of settings.

I was brought up in the East End of London as a first generation immigrant and went to Medical School at the Royal London Medical School, in Whitechapel.

 

My goal all those years ago, was to become a Surgeon, but a trip to New Zealand in 1992 changed all that. In spite of work at the Cardiothoracic Unit at Green Lanes and working alongside amazing Surgeons and caring for Paediatric cases (one patient I have since met, by accident at Dunstan Hospital over 20 years later!), my experience in Rural Taranaki (Hawera) changed all that!

A stint working as a Volunteer Doctor in Papua New Guinea for nearly two years really consolidated my true appreciation of a wide spectrum of illness and age ranges and somehow I have ended up in Central Otago for the last 18 years!
 

My zeal for Rural Generalist medicine has lead to my involvement in a number of services over the last 10 years:

• Clinical Leader for the Division of Rural Hospital Medicine (Coordinating training for our Regsitrars , in the South Island)

• Rural General Practice (Fellow RNZCGP)

• Rural Hospital Medicine (15 years Dunstan Hospital , numerous locums in Rural hospitals in NZ and Australia)- Fellow DRHMNZ

• Trainer for courses EMST (Emergency Management of Surgical Trauma) and APLS (Advanced Paediatric Life Support)

• Community Palliative Care with the Otago Hospice (2007 to 2012) 

• Postgraduate Certificate in Ultrasound and Echocardiography- 2010

 

The personal side of my life revolves around a busy family life with my two wonderful daughters. Access to the most amazing “ playground” of New Zealand is the secret to this place and we are never too far from beautiful walks and bike rides  and most important of all, a caring community.