Dr. Raouf Farag is a physician specializing in IVF, obstetrics and gynecology practicing in Gosford on the Central Coast of Australia. As a devoted practitioner who has long held a reputation as one of the most well-respected obstetricians in the medical field, Dr. Farag has consistently helped guide his patients through every stage of pregnancy and is often sought after for his ability to assist “high-risk” pregnancies and patients seeking a multitude of IVF treatment options.
At his Central Coast practice, Dr. Farag has assembled a skilled staff of medical professionals who share his philosophy regarding the adherence to a high standard of care. Patients who seek the care of Dr. Farag benefit from the presence of multiple sonographers and midwives, and the team the doctor has assembled all share in the belief that every patient is entitled to a caring and supportive environment.
Dr. Farag also utilizes the latest and most advanced medical technology available, including ultrasound machines capable of yielding three- and four-dimensional images. Between the caring, professional staff and the impressive technology used by the practice, Dr. Farag’s patients can expect consistently exceptional care from the beginning of a pregnancy all the way through the postnatal period.
Personalized care is the hallmark of Dr. Farag’s Central Coast practice, and the doctor and his staff offer diversified care that is in keeping with the individual needs of each patient. Understanding that childbirth is a life-changing experience in every sense of the phrase, the practice works diligently to make it one that is also as enjoyable and as safe as possible. The doctor and his staff also go to great lengths to assist patients via In Vitro Fertilization, and the practice is highly regarded for its ability to successfully treat patients with fertility-related concerns through the use of a variety of IVF options.
1. What was your best/favorite subject in school?
I was an excellent biology student and certainly enjoyed any subject that involved the sciences, but because my education involved so much coursework related to my future in the medical field I always welcomed subjects that offered something unique from my perspective, so the modern philosophy course I took as an undergrad was among my very favorite subjects.
2. What was your first job?
As an aspiring doctor, I always sought jobs that would allow me to be around doctors, and my first job was as a research assistant for a doctor conducting medical research on IVF. This experience piqued my interest in IVF, obstetrics and gynecology, and I am certainly grateful that I pursued a career in this particular medical field.
3. Where and how did you first get into the industry you currently work in?
I always knew I wanted to be involved in medicine, but it wasn’t until I worked as an assistant on a medical research project involving IVF that I decided that obstetrics and gynecology was the field I wanted to pursue a career in.
4. How have those jobs prepared you for what you do now?
There was nothing more valuable than the insight I gained from the doctors I shadowed, particularly regarding the nuances of the medical field that are not frequently discussed in med school. From a practical standpoint, those experiences helped reinforce my desire to go into medicine and allowed me to sharpen my focus on a specific area of practice.
5. Describe the best day of work you’ve ever had.
It is hard to top any day that involves handing a newborn baby to first-time parents, and, fortunately for me, that happens with regularity.
6. How do you keep yourself motivated?
I don’t know that I have ever lacked in motivation at any point in my career, especially since my patients are counting on me to guide them through an experience like childbirth. If I ever found myself lacking motivation, I am sure speaking to any one of my patients about their plans for their growing family would be more than enough inspiration.
7. What kind of business ideas excite you most?
I find that the best ideas are those that allow us to adopt a more personal approach. In the medical field in particular there is a risk that a detail-oriented approach can be mistaken by patients as a lack of personal concern, but there have been a lot of ideas in recent years that have made it possible to be thoroughly detailed without adversely affecting bedside manner.
8. Have you ever tried any unorthodox techniques to attract attention to your business?
I am not sure if an unorthodox approach would be effective for attracting attention to the practice, and it has long been our policy that any marketing we do should be based on educating the public about the kind of medical care that is available and the options that are at their disposal.
9. What personal achievement are you most proud of?
Any time we have a successful delivery that began with IVF always brings a great deal of pride, and it would be hard not to feel a sense of pride after a successful delivery following a high-risk pregnancy. In reality, every delivery brings us almost as much joy as it does to the parents, so there is a lot for all of us to be proud of on a near-daily basis.
10. What wisdom you would have liked to share with yourself when you first started out?
I cannot even begin to express how content I am with the decisions I have made that led to such a wonderful career in a wonderful profession, so I can only say that I would tell myself to make sure to take a moment to appreciate being in a position to help out so many people in such a meaningful and important way.