Dr Ricca Co had almost given up on her hope of working as a GP in Australia before she connected with DXC Medical in 2022.
After completing her GP training in The Philippines, Ricca and her husband moved to Singapore for three years, before deciding Australia offered more opportunities, especially as Ricca wasn’t able to practice medicine in Singapore due to the country’s restrictions on overseas-trained doctors.
“When we came to Australia, we were excited about securing our permanent residency and connecting with the family and friends we have here. After moving to Wodonga, I was keen to find employment with a local medical centre, but it was hard to know where to start and the process was complex.
“After speaking with Darren at DXC Medical I was filled with hope - he was really positive about my potential options, and quickly got things happening for me,” says Dr Ricca.
Through DXC Medical, Dr Ricca secured an offer from a well-established medical practice in Albury, and started the process of securing provisional registration through the standard pathway.
“One of the best things about working with Amy and Darren at DXC Medical was the clarity of communication. They kept me informed about timelines and set realistic expectations around how long things would take. So I knew the process would probably take around 12 months, and could plan my life around that,” says Ricca.
DXC has supported Dr Ricca Co through her pre-employment structured clinical interview (PESCI), through her registration with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), and her registration with AHPRA.
Dr Ricca has been accepted onto the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP), and is due to start her new role in the next few weeks, once her Medicare provider number is confirmed.
She says she’s excited to start her GP position in Albury, and to provide quality continuity of care to the local community:
“The people I’ve met so far have been amazing, and the observerships I’ve done in the clinic have been a helpful introduction for me to the way the medical centre works. It’s a really supportive environment, and there’s an opportunity to build long-term relationships and provide patients with the continuity of care that leads to better health outcomes. It’s also great to be part of a clinic which has services like podiatry, physiotherapy and pathology onsite,” says Dr Ricca.
Dr Ricca is excited about the potential specialist training she can undertake in future to further her medical skills, in areas like chronic disease management and palliative care. DXC Medical will also support Dr Ricca with her application to the fellowship support program (FSP) this year.
For now, Dr Ricca is looking forward to starting her new role in Albury and settling into life in the regional city:
“Albury is a great town and well-connected to other places like Melbourne, and the people here are really wonderful,” she says.
Supporting Dr Ricca Co in securing her GP role in Albury is part of DXC Medical’s commitment to improving health outcomes throughout Australia, by helping source high quality, long-term medical providers for regional and rural communities.
We wish Dr Ricca Co all the best in her new life in Albury.
Find out more about DXC Medical’s GP relocation services at: https://www.dxcmedical.com.au/about-us/
Click HERE to view our Vacancy Map
