When the new year rings in, it will signal the end of an era for Warrnambool GP Bernie Oppermann who is retiring after 30 years.
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The popular Warrnambool Medical Clinic GP and obstetrician came to the city as a resident doctor in 1983. He returned in 1986 and has never left.
“Obstetrics was my interest. As a GP you’ve still got to look at the whole spectrum but I increased the number of ante-natal patients I saw. It was great. It’s the best part of medicine,” he said.
He would have delivered thousands of babies over the years.
“The peak was about 130 a year but it was variously up and down over that time and delivering kids to girls that I’d delivered, was becoming quite an interesting phase,” Dr Oppermann said.
The 66-year-old always got a buzz from bringing a new life into the world and only stopped delivering babies three years ago.
The doctor prides himself on his patient rapport and is renowned for his gentle nature, compassion and interest in them, regardless of the situation.
“Sometimes you bury their parents, as well as deliver their babies and console them when their marriage broke down, all those sorts of things.
“That’s been a really good part of general practice, as opposed to the city where the big clinics have 10 or 12 people working there and you never see the same person twice. The whole emphasis is different.”
He said Warrnambool’s health landscape had changed dramatically during the past three decades.
“When I first came here there was two surgeons, two physicians and one obstetrician. Now there’d be ten times that in total, and a lot of visiting staff, vascular surgeons and neurosurgeons.”
He believes standard of healthcare is excellent, with a choice of GPs and specialists available.
“It’s been a great town and the services have increased enormously.”
He officially retires on New Year’s Eve and is looking forward to spending time with wife Jill and their adult daughters Anne and Claire.
The GP may return to Broome for some locum work and will fill in locally if required.
The Warrnambool Symphony Orchestra member enjoys playing the trumpet and piano and hopes to spend time fishing and in his vineyard.
Dr Oppermann said he would be “hugely sad” to say goodbye to the role.
“It’s part of your persona after so many years. It’s difficult to imagine not coming to work and waking up in the morning thinking ‘I don’t have to go to work today’.
“I think I’ll get used to it." he laughed.
