Introducing Dr Gertrude Behan

Our volunteering program’s newest recruit

I have been asked by the Museum Curator to write about myself, so make yourself a cuppa…

A long time ago I was born in Queensland. And an even longer time ago, Queensland opened its doors to its brand-new Medical School and in the 86 years since has graduated many skilled and caring doctors. There are a quite few families who over generations have had strong links to the UQ Medical School. If, like me, you are a scion of one of these families with a good yarn, please get in touch.

But back to myself. After graduating from UQ I did my residency at The Mater. Patients who recognised by surname asked if I was related to my great uncle, a beloved maverick GP.

Patients would say “Dr Norman Behan, he was my ENT surgeon”, or “he was my Paediatrician” or “he was my Gynaecologist”. I asked his son, a retired plastic surgeon, if he or Norman had bequeathed anything to the Marks-Hirschfeld Museum. They haven’t, maybe Norman thought bequeathing his Art collection, the eponymous “Behan Collection” to the UQ Art Museum was enough. 

I have attached a painting of Dr Norman Behan by artist Sam Fullbrook which is at QAGOMA. Other than the fact that Norman and I both know a great coat when we see one, I don’t think there is much family resemblance. (As a matter of interest, artist William Dobell also painted Norman Behan -ed.) 

In 1993 my husband and I set up our own GP clinic, after a few staff Christmas in July parties here we are in 2022.

In the interim I was very lucky to be a GP supervisor and have supervised quite a few Registrars over the decades. I know I was supposed to be teaching them but I am eternally grateful for everything I have learnt from them and feel privileged to have worked alongside such intelligent and compassionate doctors. As many of us know, our patients are also good teachers and to them also I am very grateful.

As a young gun doctor I had a keen interest in Women’s Health, HRT was only just becoming “a thing”. After I had a few sproggins of my own I was devoted to learning and teaching Children’s Health. I was a keen advocate of the Triple P Program (for those that don’t know it is about getting on with your kids and your kids doing what they are told!)

When I began to see the merits of the Bonds line of clothing compared to the Elle McPherson offerings, I also began to see dermatology in a whole new light. My husband and I added a stand-alone Skin Clinic to our other Family Health Clinics and now here we are in July 2022 with our next staff Christmas in July party just around the corner!