GP Supervisor Profile – Dr Libby Garoni

What rewards do you see from GP Supervision ?

It helps to make me a better doctor as I need to describe what I’m doing and why. It also builds team bonds and team relationships. Good medicine is about being part of a team and the friendships I have established have made it very rewarding. I remember once attending an operation for my daughter and one of the doctors remembered me from supervising them many years earlier. Meeting people down the track who you have previously supported like this is a very rewarding experience. I expect to go on supervising as part of my normal work as a General Practitioner well into the future. 

What are the challenges of GP supervision?

Time management. Quality training, like quality medicine, takes time and can’t be rushed. Being a supervisor also means you must always stay up to date with current information to provide the best training possible.

How has GPSA Supported you?

I am grateful to GPSA for their support for myself as well as for practice management as a whole. Helping with resources such as contracts and allowances and keeping our Practice Manager happy have been an additional benefit. I regularly access resources and know that there is somebody there to go to if I have questions. I have found the guides and resources invaluable. GPSAs help in training and development of new registrars has always been there. 

What would you say to others considering becoming a GP supervisor?

I’d always encourage them to become a GP supervisor as it’s part of being a good GP and a really fulfilling part of what I do. It makes me a better person as well as a better doctor. It really improves relationships within the practice and I can’t imagine not doing it.