DAVID Schepisi did everything from delivering babies to appendectomies when he took up general practice in Bendigo nearly 40 years ago.
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Medicine has changed a lot in four decades, but many of Dr Schepisi's patients remain the same.
His extended work was recently recognised with a long service award from Victoria's Rural Workforce Agency.
During his time in Bendigo Dr Schepisi has been involved with everything from the Old Gold Soccer Club to the chess club and the Sedgwick Country Fire Authority.
Dr Schepisi and his wife Christine - also a doctor - moved to the city in 1981 to work as junior resident medical officers at the then Bendigo Base Hospital.
They have remained in the city ever since, both practising as general practitioners.
Dr Schepisi said the "cradle to the grave" approach of general practice in the early 1980s was what interested him.
The work involved everything from delivering babies, to cardiac case care and treating bad asthma at the hospital, even minor surgical procedures such as appendectomy.
It's the variety of work and the relationship with patients that Dr Schepisi enjoyed most. It's these things that kept him practicing for nigh on 40 years.
"It's not an easy thing to describe," he said.
"The people are the most important thing. Then there's the intellectual challenge I guess of medicine as well."
The Schepisis loved Bendigo from their first visit, to look at a house to rent. Initially they planned to stay for just a few years, then study in England. But that soon changed.
Six months after moving to the city, a house came up for sale on Forest Street and they decided to stay long term.
"We fell in love with the house," Dr Schepisi said.
"But more importantly the house acted as a catalyst making us realise just how much we'd fallen in love with Bendigo and enjoyed it.
"We fell in love with Bendigo so much, we said, 'Right, this is the place for us'."
Dr Schepisi was soon invited to practice the then-Arnold Street Clinic, the clinic later moved to Barnard Street. Now practices at Sandhurst Medical Practice, alongside his wife.
Dr David Schepisi said he had thoroughly enjoyed his career, particularly his patients.
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