Dr David Iser was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia as part of this year’s King’s Birthday Honours for service to medicine.
Dr Iser began working as a GP in South Gippsland in 1981, but he and his wife recently relocated to Barwon Heads to join his daughter’s Barwon Heads Family Practice.
He has since fallen in love with the town and the region.
“I’m very fortunate, I have some wonderful patients,” Dr Iser said.
“I’ve really got to know quite a few people in the town, and it’s beautiful to have a little spot like this to work from.”
Over his career Dr Iser has taken on many extraneous roles, such as senior lecturer at the Monash School of Rural Health in South Gippsland and consultant on the Wind Turbine Parliamentary Committee.
He has spent two years working at remote aboriginal health facilities in Tennant Creek and Katherine, regularly returning to work there for short stints.
Dr Iser said one of the most satisfying projects he had been part of was the health precinct in South Gippsland, which now has a hospital, aged care facility and community health centre.
He said he had “really loved” teaching medical students.
“I’m still in touch with many students from the past, and in fact, many of them actually sent me congratulations (for the OAM), which is really nice.”
