Senior Palliative Medicine Specialist Dr Ben Gunawan
At the helm of Princess Alexandra Hospital’s Palliative Care team for six years and counting, Senior Palliative Medicine Specialist Dr Ben Gunawan is leading the next generation of specialists and raising the standard of end-of-life care.
Balancing clinical work, mentoring junior doctors, leading the PAH Palliative Care team, and a seat on the PAH Clinical Senate, Dr Gunawan’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional patient-centred care translates through every branch of his practice.
Though his sights were initially set on Cardiothoracic surgery, Dr Gunawan says it was a series of fateful events that led him to Palliative Care.
“Going into medical school, I wanted to be a Cardiothoracic surgeon because I found the heart very interesting. I didn’t even know what Palliative Care was until halfway through my first year of medical school,” he said.
“I attended a lecture at UQ which was really eye-opening for me. It was like discovering a totally different philosophy on how to care for people in medicine, which was incredibly meaningful.”
After losing his grandmother later that year, Dr Gunawan’s personal experience with Palliative Care and the vulnerabilities of the dying reignited his interest in the field.
“The whole experience reminded me of that UQ lecture, so I signed up to do an elective with the Palliative Care team. Being mentored by Dr Mark Deuble during that time really sealed the deal for me. His approach to patients was about connection first and foremost, and the medicine came parallel to that. That really appealed to me.”
As his taste for Palliative Care grew into passion, Dr Gunawan thrived under Dr Deuble’s mentorship and soon worked his way up the ranks, completing his dual training as a Palliative Care Physician and a Medical Oncologist.
“I wondered if some of the challenges I’d seen my peers face in Palliative Care could be improved by understanding Oncology better. So you could say that I trained to prepare myself specifically for a job like this,” he said.
By 2017, Dr Gunawan’s passion for complex case management and inspiring the next generation set the course for his career to flourish, both clinically and as a leader.
“I really like working with difficult medical conundrums and complex patients, because it’s always interesting and it keeps me sharp. In many ways, I modelled a lot of my learning and focused a lot of my skills toward the hope that I would do a job like this someday.
“I’m really passionate about Palliative Care education, because the more I can educate, the better it will be for trainees, and ultimately, for the patients. I try to cultivate that with anyone I come into contact with, from interns to basic trainees and nurses. Education is an important part of my portfolio, and it’s really gratifying to watch the junior doctors grow and rise through the ranks.”
Liaising with patients and staff across the wards daily, Dr Gunawan’s influence and reputation as one of PAH’s most nurturing senior specialists resonates throughout the hospital.
While he proudly celebrates six years of growth and achievement at the Palliative Care Unit, Dr Gunawan says being an agent of reassurance for vulnerable patients is still the highlight of his day.
“The most satisfying part of my day is simply doing the clinical work, meeting patients, addressing their acute and long-term needs, and just helping them come to terms with what is happening.
“Whether my patients have years or just hours left to live, addressing their fears and allowing them the space to grow and find meaning in the life that they have left is personally incredibly satisfying.”
Taking up his predecessor’s mantle, Dr Gunawan’s next goal is to establish a permanent Palliative Care unit at PAH.
“I believe everyone deserves the chance to die with dignity and to have access to quaternary-level palliative care, so it’s one of my goals to establish a dedicated unit here.
“I hope that Palliative care will continue to grow as it has been. It’s different even now from when I first joined PAH, and that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”
Cited for his caring and compassionate nature while delivering a high standard of care and mentorship, Dr Gunawan was named PA Hospital’s October Staff Excellence Award winner.
Congratulations on this and many other achievements, Dr Gunawan, and thank you for your continued commitment to furthering Palliative Care at PAH.