Dr Ramya Raman has been elected President-elect of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, positioning the Western Australian specialist GP to take charge of an organisation representing more than 53,000 members across Australia. She will formally assume the presidency at the RACGP Annual General Meeting on 19 November 2026, succeeding Dr Michael Wright.
Dr Raman brings extensive experience across clinical practice, medical education, academia and professional leadership. She is a practice owner and specialist general practitioner who has held senior positions within the College, including RACGP Vice President and Chair of its Western Australian faculty. Her election follows a national contest in which 9,866 votes were recorded, with Raman securing 54 per cent.
Her leadership comes at a significant period for Australian general practice. GPs are managing increasingly complex patient needs while practices contend with workforce pressures, rising operational expenses and questions about the long-term sustainability of primary care. Dr Raman has previously argued that decisions being made now could influence how doctors work and how patients receive care for many years.
Financial sustainability is expected to remain an important issue during her presidency. During her election campaign, Dr Raman proposed limiting increases in RACGP membership fees to the same indexation rate applied to Medicare Benefits Schedule rebates, arguing that doctors and practices should not face fee increases disconnected from the financial realities of running modern general practices.
Access to medical care will also feature prominently in the incoming president’s agenda. Dr Raman has indicated that strengthening general practice requires sustainable funding, a well-supported workforce and better access to GPs regardless of where patients live. Her approach places the viability of individual practices alongside the broader question of maintaining accessible primary healthcare for communities throughout Australia.
The challenges facing primary care extend beyond funding. Australia’s ageing population and growing prevalence of chronic illness mean GPs are increasingly involved in preventive care, long-term disease management and complex health needs. The RACGP has highlighted the importance of primary care in helping people remain healthier and reducing unnecessary pressure on hospitals, making workforce capacity and continuity of care central concerns for the profession.
Dr Raman’s professional background also includes a strong connection with medical education and research. Earlier in 2026, she was involved in RACGP initiatives covering areas including digital health and innovation, while her work in Western Australia has included advocacy around preventive healthcare and strengthening general practice outside metropolitan centres.
Her experience in Western Australia could prove particularly relevant as the College continues to address the uneven distribution of doctors across metropolitan, regional and remote communities. In June, RACGP highlighted Dr Raman’s work in Karratha, where she delivered education and engaged with regional healthcare needs, reflecting her broader involvement in supporting the GP workforce beyond major population centres.
As President, Dr Raman will lead the RACGP’s advocacy on issues including patient access, practice sustainability, workforce development, preventive health, professional education and training. The College says these priorities will be central to strengthening general practice over the longer term, while Dr Raman has emphasised the importance of bringing members’ experiences into decisions affecting the profession and the healthcare system.
The change in leadership will take place at a time when general practice is undergoing considerable transformation. Digital health, changing models of care, workforce shortages, rising clinical complexity and pressure on the broader health system are reshaping the role of GPs. Dr Raman’s election gives her an opportunity to influence how the profession responds to these challenges while representing doctors working in communities across the country.
For Australia’s Indian-origin community, Dr Raman’s appointment is also a notable achievement within the country’s increasingly diverse medical workforce. Her election adds another prominent example of a doctor from an Indian background reaching a senior national leadership position in Australian healthcare, while the significance of her new role ultimately extends across the entire GP profession and the millions of patients it serves.
Dr Raman will take over from Dr Michael Wright after his two-year term concludes at the November AGM. Until then, she will continue preparing for the transition, with her formal presidency beginning on 19 November. Her term will place general practice funding, workforce strength, accessibility and the future of primary healthcare among the major issues she will be expected to address.
