MEDIA RELEASE

MATRAVILLE DOCTOR SCORES THREE DECADES OF SERVICE!

Matraville GP, Dr John Gullotta AM has celebrated 30 years of service to the local community. Dr Gullotta who was born and raised in Matraville and lived there for over 45 years, says that he is honoured and proud to serve his local community. “I am now starting to see the babies I immunized bringing in their own babies. That is what I really love about general practice, the family care and continuity through a patient’s life cycle which you don’t see in other medical specialties.”

Dr Gullotta works at the Matraville Medical Centre, a boutique personalised family general practice, which was opened by his parents, long time local Pharmacist Andrew Gullotta OAM and his late wife Lina in 1973. Andrew and Lina owned Gullotta’s Pharmacy at Matraville for 50 years before their retirement about 13 years ago.

It was their aim to provide a ‘traditional family medical centre’ with service second to none in the local area. The Centre is different because patients are treated by the same General Practice Team so as to ensure continuity of care by doctors they are familiar with.

Dr Gullotta graduated with honours from Newcastle University in 1991, after completing a degree in Pharmacy at the University of Sydney in 1986. In 1998 he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and is a Specialist General Practitioner.

He has an extensive involvement in academia, medical organisations, media and community service.

A/Prof Gullotta is Past President and Fellow of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) NSW and was a Councillor of the Federal AMA for 20 years. He is also a clinical teacher at the University of Sydney and in 2005 he was awarded the title of Adjunct Associate Professor in General Practice, Sydney Medical School at The University of Sydney. Teaching is an experience he still finds invaluable.

‘It helps with your thinking and I
enjoy passing on knowledge to the new generation,’ he said. ‘It always challenges and stimulates you mentally. It also keeps you up to date. As a doctor you never stop learning and hands on experience is vital!”

In 2014 he was appointed Visiting Fellow in Pharmacy at the Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney where he teaches Pharmacy students.

He is strongly involved in charity work and is the Immediate Past Chairman of the AMA NSW Charitable Foundation and Past President of the Rotary Club of Maroubra.

He was the Vice President of CoMiTes NSW (Committee of Italians Abroad NSW) from 2004-2016 and has been Medical Practitioner and Technical Advisor (Medico Fiduciaro) for the Italian Consulate in Sydney since 1992.

“Dr John” as he is affectionately known, is the original Sydney “Rock Doctor” with vast experience in the personalised and confidential medical care of performing artists, VIP’s and celebrities both local and international.

He is the recipient of many awards including the Inaugural University of Newcastle Alumni Medal and the University of Sydney 2007 Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Service “for his energetic contributions to medicine, medical education and pharmacy, as well as for his service to the Italian-Australian community in Sydney”.

In 2004 he was awarded one of Italy’s top honours of “Cavaliere, Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta’ Italiana” OSSI, (Star of Italian Solidarity) “for his outstanding contribution to the Italo-Australian Community.”

A/Prof. Gullotta’s extensive contribution to the profession and community service was highly acknowledged when in 2007 he was appointed Member in the Order of Australia, AM for “service to medicine through a range of executive roles with professional medical associations and as a general practitioner, and to the Italian community”.

He is a past Councillor of the Dante Alighieri Society of Sydney, which was founded in Sydney in 1896, and with his proud Sicilian heritage he continues to foster and promote Italian Culture and Language within the Australian community.

In 2018 he was elected as a Councillor of the Order of Australia Association of NSW and is currently Deputy Chairman, Metropolitan Coordinator and Events and Public Relations Manager.

Dr Gullotta believes it’s the variety in general practice as well as the rest of his interests that keeps him so active.

‘In general practice, the patient can have anything. One minute it’s a depressed patient, the next minute it can be a heart attack,’ he said. ‘I enjoy the variety and I wouldn’t change it one bit!’

He still appreciates that every day in general practice can be different from the last and truly cherishes the professional relationships he has forged with his patients throughout the years, even if they do remind him just how long he has been in the business!

“I look forward to serving the community for a further decade or two and looking after the next generation of patients!” He said.