Where are they now – Geof Marshall (SPC 1966-68)

The College is reconnecting with Geof Marshall (SPC 1966-68) who is retiring after a busy medical career working as a GP, and in emergency and forensic medicine.

 

 

Where has life taken you since leaving SPC?

I graduated from medicine at Monash University and married a fellow medical graduate from Sydney, Cathy, who is still a GP. We have three children aged 38, 35, 32 all professionals, but none doing medicine. They are now all working in Sydney (one was in US for eight years and another in Canada).

I was a GP for seven years working at Corowa/Rutherglen but then went and studied Emergency Medicine. I have been a staff specialist in Emergency Management since 1989 at Bathurst, in charge of the Emergency Department. After being a medical academic also, I then went back and studied forensic medicine part time and am also a specialist in that from 2010. I am currently going towards the phase of retirement and not sure of where we will live – maybe Bathurst and Sydney. We will do some more travel and spend lots of time with our five-plus grandchildren (so far). I also enjoy a diverse range of interests, mostly with a sporting emphasis. New- skills such as golf are being tried.

 

What are your favourite memories of your time at St Patrick’s College?

St Patrick’s was a formative time in my life. I was a boarder and during the time I can reflect that it was a somewhat- embarrassing- teenage awkward time. In particular, it was a time of beginning maturity into learning communication skills and dealing with peers and teachers on a better social level, as well as study.

 

Which teacher from your time at SPC had the greatest impact on you? Why?

Several of the teachers were directional – I can still- remember many of Br Nangle’s classes and he taught me correct use of- language and grammar in particular.- Several others were academically helpful. Br Guthrie taught me cricket – first coach I ever had. I can still see him moving his arms and hands after a ball had been bowled reflecting flight and spin. Shane Warne showed very similar- movements using reflection about the previous ball to try and get wickets.

 

How has your education shaped your professional life?

Education always shapes professional life. Even if the initial path changes, education is pivotal into a final career. It’s not generally recognised by all of us during our teenage years but consistent work does create habits which remain- lifelong.

 

How has your time at SPC shaped your personal values and your family life?

It’s probably not possible to put a quantity about how secondary schooling shaped adulthood except to say that it was definitely influential.

 

If you could pass on one message to the students of today, what would it be?

As far as advice to students, the best words I can suggest are to not be alarmed if you- have- not had a burning desire for some career while at school. My experience indicates that the vast majority of people don’t realise what career they want until about their mid 20s. Those that do earlier are possibly lucky, but my best advice is to just keep your options wide open.

 

And finally:

Many memories of this time in my life remain. Moving interstate or overseas and the influence of family responsibility- tends to create isolation from school years and the people of that time. It is curious as we get older there emerges a desire to reconnect and to hear news of where people’s paths have taken them.