Published on 25 June 2026

One of the defining principles of family medicine is that we are lifelong learners.

For family physicians, there are countless opportunities to keep up with our ever-expanding knowledge base—medical journals, CPD events, conferences, online courses, podcasts and discussions with colleagues. Yet both undergraduate and postgraduate students are often daunted by the breadth of our discipline. Where do you begin?

One of the sayings I have always appreciated in family medicine is that "the curriculum walks through the door." Every patient presents an opportunity to learn. This is closely linked to another principle: common things occur commonly. If we learn deeply from the patients we see every day, we are likely to cover the conditions we encounter most frequently in practice.

Earlier in my career, lifelong learning meant trying to keep up with the latest publications and attending as many CPD events as possible. While these remain important, they were often accompanied by a nagging sense of guilt that I was never doing enough.

Over the years, I have discovered a more sustainable approach: learning around the patients I see.

One of the richest sources of learning has been conversations with specialist colleagues. I have been fortunate to build trusting relationships with physicians at our regional referral hospital, and I value both their expertise and their willingness to teach.

Recently, I was managing a patient with severe asthma whose symptoms remained poorly controlled despite high-dose combination inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting bronchodilator therapy. She relied heavily on her reliever inhaler, and her asthma was beginning to affect her ability to work. After discussing her case with a specialist physician, I learnt about SMART (Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy), an approach in which a single combination inhaler is used for both maintenance treatment and symptom relief. It was a concept I had not previously incorporated into my practice.

This experience reminded me that some of our most valuable learning does not come from a textbook or conference, but from a single patient and a conversation with a trusted colleague.

That patient taught me something new. The specialist helped me understand it. My future patients will benefit from it.

Perhaps that is what lifelong learning in family medicine looks like—not trying to know everything, but remaining curious, asking for help, and allowing every patient to become a teacher.

How has one patient changed the way you practise?