Dr Claire Dodsworth is a rural generalist with an advanced skill in obstetrics and gynaecology. Claire lives in Innisfail (Mamu Country) where she works across both the hospital and GP settings.
Claire grew up in Mackay, Central Queensland and classes herself as ‘not a big city girl.’ She always felt a calling to work in healthcare and look after people. Her desire to avoid urban living and her time at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville paved the way to rural medicine.
‘I was part of the fourth cohort through JCU so we were a small group who all knew each other. It was a really rural focussed program. Every time I did a placement, I was gobsmacked by the amount of skill those rural doctors had – they were so smart, they did everything, and they loved what they were doing. They were passionate about teaching while improving the healthcare of their communities. It was really inspiring!’
A desire to be closer to family after completing her AST in Mackay brought Claire to Innisfail in 2012 where she found a strong tribe of supportive senior RGs. ‘Dr Peter McKenna, a pretty quintessential rural GP, became a really strong mentor for me. He is one of those people who has done everything, been everywhere and just makes you feel supported as a junior doctor. Peter, along with the other senior clinicians, helped me to develop and transition into life as a rural generalist. I felt like I had the skills, confidence and backup to be able to do the job.’
Claire enjoys the diversity of working across emergency, primary care and obstetrics. ‘Rural medicine is incredibly rewarding. I get to develop long-term relationships with my patients, look after more preventative care and do a bit of everything in my GP role. With the hospital, you never know what you’ll walk into – organising a helicopter or catching up on your mandatory training – you can’t predict what will come through the door. You have to be a bit more flexible and be able to multitask. With obstetrics, there’s nothing else like it in the world. I love it – the antenatal care, helping people have a baby, watching someone see their newborn for the first time – it’s amazing.’
Firmly embedded in the community with her husband and two children, Claire feels rural life deepens her connection with patients and colleagues. ‘Now that I’ve been here for 13 years, a lot of patients know me. I’ve looked after their family, they see me at soccer with the kids, they know me as a person and have a deeper level of trust in me. Knowing your team – the nurses, the admin, everyone you work with – those meaningful relationships are my favourite part of my job. You don’t always get that in a big centre.’
Claire balances family life with work demands, including on-call obstetrics. An understanding and flexible family, along with a supportive group of people helps Claire’s work/life balance. ‘It’s a constant juggle of the school run, work and trying to maintain some down-time. I try to draw pretty firm boundaries – when I am at work, I am at work. When I am at home, I don’t check my work emails and I try to be present in my home life. Yoga is lifesaving – it’s my favourite thing in the week, along with trying to spend as much time as possible outside enjoying our beautiful part of the world’.
As a mid-career rural generalist, Claire reflects on changes to the workforce. ‘The rural GP of the past was kind of defined as this one person who did everything, lived in a town forever and did multigenerational caring. When I reflect on that, I wonder if they struggled with this superhero role where they maybe couldn’t show vulnerability or the effects of isolation. With the current rural GP Obstetrician (GPO) workforce, we’re trying to improve the way we manage the trauma and complexities of the medicine we deal with, how we support each other and recognising vulnerability is not a weakness, but rather a skill that improves your care as a clinician. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on that and trying to integrate it into the way that I practice and the way that I spend time with my colleagues’.
Claire enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with the next generation of rural generalists, facilitating at QRGP workshops and participating in the Rural Generalist Obstetrics Network (RGON). Along with other local GPOs, Claire coordinates an annual Obstetrics and Gynaecology retreat in North Queensland. Designed to combat isolation and support workforce longevity, the retreat offers clinical updates, as well as sessions on burnout, self-care and vulnerability specifically for GPOs. ‘It provides a safe space to share the emotional load with people in similar positions, while supporting our colleagues to maintain skills and improve the longevity of our workforce. We’ve had great feedback from attendees, as well as support from local obstetricians to facilitate the education sessions, and we are keen to do it again. It complements existing networks and programs like RGON and allow us to expand the support.’ The next O&G retreat will be held in Palm Cove on 1-3 May 2026.
For Claire, being a GPO is not just a job – it’s a calling. ‘It defines you as a person and it shapes you. It’s incredibly rewarding and challenging, but there’s a lot of variety as well as the opportunity to really get to know people and have meaningful relationships with them.’
Claire’s advice for anyone considering rural medicine or obstetrics: ‘Know what you’re getting yourself in for. I’ve seen enough to recognise and respect that you can’t predict a lot of medicine and particularly obstetrics, but with strong mentorship and support, it’s an incredibly rewarding career with diverse opportunities. If it’s something you think might be good for you, go for it!’.