General News
6 February, 2023
Dr Carson steps back after four decades on the job
After practicing in Maryborough for more than four decades, Doctor Rob Carson has decided to hang up his stethoscope and while he’s retiring from the job, the doctor in him will continue to stay on. Last Friday, Dr Carson took up his role as...
After practicing in Maryborough for more than four decades, Doctor Rob Carson has decided to hang up his stethoscope and while he’s retiring from the job, the doctor in him will continue to stay on.
Last Friday, Dr Carson took up his role as a general practitioner at the town’s Clarendon Medical Centre one final time — at age 68, he bid farwell to his place of work for the past 41 years.
“It’s just a nice feeling to know that you’ve worked for so many years. I’ve been in this community for a long time and I’ve looked after families, from delivering babies to looking after 90 year olds, all that time,” he said.
“It is nice to have a bit of an end. Now, I can treat everyday as a Saturday.”
Practicing in Maryborough has been of special significance to the long-time doctor — forging relationships with the community that extend beyond the four walls of the clinic.
“My patients have become my friends, very much so. And I’m happy for them to stay my friends,” Dr Carson said.
“I’ve cared for them, and I have been privileged to know them very well. It is a privilege to be that person’s doctor, and for them to have
trust in you. And you only hope that you’re giving them the best care that is required.
“The biggest takeaway of my career is the fact that I’ve known patients for sometimes up to 40 years. During my last month here, I’ve noticed that there’s been many occasions where patients have left in tears because I’m leaving, and that’s been very enlightening.”
After performing more than a thousand deliveries and providing other medical support to patients over the years, one procedure led to national and international acclaim for Dr Carson.
In 2009, Dr Carson along with Dr David Tynan used a household power drill to save a 13-year-old boy’s life — The Advertiser’s own Nick Rossi — by drilling a hole in his skull to relieve pressure caused by a blood clot.
“He needed the procedure, he was going to die. I knew what to do and I rang for some advice, and then performed the procedure which luckily went well and didn’t take very long,” Dr Carson said.
Having looked after people in both emergency and non-emergency situations, there have been many other challenges Dr Carson has dealt with.
“It was very busy, particularly many years ago, when we worked in the emergency department. There were a lot of ambulances coming in and we used to care for a lot of car accidents. At one stage it was just Dr Tynan and I in the town for quite some time,” he said.
“We were on call every second day and night and every second weekend, whilst also delivering babies and consulting in our rooms — it was very difficult.”
Despite the tough jabs, caring for people as a doctor has been extremely rewarding according to Dr Carson who also said he had no plans to part with his title.
“I’ve had a lovely career, a very blessed career. I think if you’ve been a doctor, you will always continue to be one in your own mind probably also in the way people will see me in the town. They’ll know that I am a doctor, just retired,” he said.
“I’m a doctor. I can’t stop being a doctor. I’m just a doctor. That’s all I am.”