I am a general surgeon at Shepparton Private Hospital, and I have a special interest in weight loss surgery, abdominal surgery, endoscopy and skin cancers. On Mondays, I travel to towns like Numurkah, Cobram and Kyabram to operate. I also have a number of registrars, residents and interns at GV Health, and I am involved in teaching them surgery.
What is your link to the Goulburn Valley?
My main link to the GV is through employment. I came here in 2008 when one of the surgeons at the practice I’m working in was planning to retire, and he wanted a successor. At that time, I was based in Melbourne, so he invited me and introduced me to different medical institutions here, and I joined them.
Since then, my wife, Seema (Abdullah), has developed a link here as a Greater Shepparton City Councillor.
What is your favourite thing about the Goulburn Valley?
I like this place’s relative cosmopolitanism. People come from different backgrounds, and it is not far from Melbourne, which is ideal for day trips. I also like the openness and proximity of everything.
How do you like spending your free time?
I have a busy social life, partly because of me but mainly because of my wife. We have a circle of friends here, and we have quite an extended circle of friends in Melbourne. So, we visit when we visit our two children, who are based in Melbourne.
I’m a keen golfer (the golf balls in the background are actually trophies!).
I also like gardening, so I spend as much time as I can after work or especially on the weekend. I am an avid photographer (I have 18,473 pictures on my phone), I like reading about history and current affairs, and I like to travel, although I don’t get to travel as much as I want to.
What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Enjoy yourself, but work hard. Keep your honesty and humility.
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