Beyond graduation: The journey of a young family doctor in Malaysia

Ten years ago, I made the decision to specialise in family medicine.My reasons were simple.I wanted to be present for patients throughout their lives -from before conception to their last breath.Most importantly, I wanted to see patients as a whole and as members of communities long before illness strikes.In 2021, I was conferred a fellowship by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and a membership by the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia (AFPM).After several months in practice as a family medicine specialist, I came to realise that being a young family doctor is far more than stethoscopes and prescriptions.Many senior doctors had paved the way for me, and I felt it was now my turn to contribute to the fraternity.In 2023, I was appointed Promotion Lead for the Chapter of Young Family Doctors (CoYFD) Malaysia under the AFPM.One of my first responsibilities was speaking at WONCA's Health Equity Around the World webinar (Figure 1), alongside family physicians from across the globe.It was a humbling experience that allowed me to learn from the diverse experiences of the global family medicine community.