Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice

he general practice profession is in mourning following the passing of Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO. 

He passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family. He was 89. 

Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) President Dr Michael Wright described Professor Murtagh as a towering figure in general practice and medical education. 

“For generations of GPs, including mine, Professor Murtagh was the most famous GP we knew,” he said.  

“His seminal textbook, John Murtagh’s General Practice, first published in 1994 and now in its ninth edition, was our guide during medical school and into our general practice training.  Professor Murtagh’s ability to explain both complex concepts and practical procedures in an approachable and engaging way made his work essential reading for any future GPs.  

“Professor Murtagh leaves a lasting legacy of transforming general practice and family medicine in Australia, and across the world. 

“In 2007, he was awarded Life Fellowship of the RACGP, and, in the same year, he was awarded Life Fellowship of the World Organization of Family Doctors, in recognition of his contributions to global family medicine. He edited the College’s scientific journal Australian Family Physician for nearly a decade and introduced a series of groundbreaking changes including a newfound focus on practice tips and clinical updates. 

“The College’s John Murtagh Library was named in his honour in 2005 and is testament to how highly he was regarded by the RACGP and GPs across Australia. Professor Murtagh was made a Member of the Order of Australia [AM] for services to medicine, honouring his impact on medical education and general practice. He was then made an Officer of the Order of Australia [AO] in 2019.” 

Dr Wright said that Professor Murtagh’s dedication to improving rural and remote general practice care will have a lasting impact. 

“Professor Murtagh spent his early years developing a passion for everything rural, and he never wavered from that. He worked tirelessly to improve rural and remote general practice care; it was nothing short of inspiring,” he said. 

“His life experiences shaped his work for years to come. Aged eight, he contracted polio and spent many months convalescing, and this helped spark a lifelong interest in medicine. Professor Murtagh worked for many years as a rural GP in Neerim South in the foothills of the Great Dividing Ranges and was held in the highest regard by his colleagues and the many patients he cared for.  

“Professor Murtagh and his wife Jill relished the opportunity of being the only medical practitioners in their small community, saying that it was the best part of his career.”  

The RACGP President said that his commitment to medicine was vast and enduring. 

“Professor Murtagh earned prestigious academic honours and became one of Australia’s most respected GPs, and his incredible work in academia resonated with so many people in the general practice community. Despite this, Professor Murtagh’s awards and recognition never defined his view of the world or his place in it,” he said 

“Ask anyone who met Professor Murtagh, and they will tell you that he was such a sincere and humble person dedicated to improving the lives of others. 

“He was known for his warmth, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others. Professor Murtagh’s passing marks the end of an era in Australian general practice, but his legacy will live on through the countless doctors he trained, the patients he cared for, and the work he did that continues to guide us.  

“Professor Murtagh will be sorely missed. He is a GP we can all aspire to be, vale Professor Murtagh.” 

~ENDS