Our Team

Dr. Michael Clements

Practice Principal, RACGP Board Member & Chair RACGP Rural Faculty, Rural Generalist Training Advisor: Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway.

B.Econ(Hons) MBBS DAvmed MPH MHM FRACGP FARGP FRACMA FACAsM GAICD

Dr Clements gained his specialist qualifications in General Practice after training in various locations in Australia and across the world. Under the Royal Australian Air Force Graduate Medical Scheme, Dr Clements served in Australia, the Middle East and on exchange in the United Kingdom before settling in Townsville. During this time Dr Clements qualified as a Specialist Aviation Medical Officer with the RAAF and he continues in the RAAF Specialist Reserve.

After some time spent as the Director of Medical Services at Ingham Hospital Dr Clements then moved on to Townsville Hospital as the Medical Director for Health and Wellbeing Service Group. During this time Dr Clements finalised his management training and has now returned to general practice and founded Clements Medical Group with a vision to provide quality, evidence-based team care using modern technology in a family medicine environment.

Dr Clements has a keen interest in Veteran’s and Men’s Health, Chronic disease, and palliative care, supports veterans through their DVA Claims and impairment assessments and continues to conduct aviation medicals from the Townsville City practice. Dr Clements conducts and leads the rural outreach clinics to North West QLD, sometimes as the pilot, sometimes as the doctor.

Dr Michael Khong

Medical Director Clements Medical Fairfield Central

MBBS FRACGP

Dr Khong qualified as a general practitioner in England in 1994 and was a senior partner of a medical practice in London until he emigrated to Australia with his family in 2003.  After practicing for 4 years in Alice Springs, he moved to Townsville and worked a year in Ayr before becoming the medical director at our Fairfield Central practice in 2018. 

Dr Khong leads our Skin Cancer Medicine service and has an advanced level qualification from the Skin Cancer College of Australasia.

Dr Michelle White

Medical Director Clements Medical Magnetic Island

MBBS FRACGP

Dr White completed Bachelor Medicine Bachelor Surgery (MBBS) at James Cook University in Townsville in 2005 after growing up in rural and remote areas between Townsville, Charters Towers, NT and in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Dr White has worked in North Queensland, Norfolk Island, Coffs Harbour and now Magnetic Island is home.

Michelle has a Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and is an accredited General Practice training supervisor.

Dr White’s special interests in medicine include;

• Women’s Health, Menopause Hormonal Therapy including IUD placement
• Skin Cancer Diagnosis & Surgery
• Children’s Health
• Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
• Alcohol & Other Drugs Treatment
• Mental Health – CBT therapy, Motivational Skills Training
• Integrative Health – trained in Yin Yoga, Mindfulness & Nutrition
• Medical Hypnosis
• Weight Management
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTOP) services
• Medicinal Cannabis Prescribing

Dr White is passionate about wellness, co-creating a lifestyle script with you where you feel heard and inclusive in making decisions about your Health and Wellbeing.

Dr Sadheesh Rathnayake

Medical Director – Townsville City

MBBS, DCH, FRACGP

Dr Sadheesh Rathnayake graduated from James Cook University in 2013 and completed his GP specialist training in Newcastle, NSW in 2017. He has a keen interest in rural general practice, and has worked in rural South Australia, northern NSW and the Lake Macquarie region. He currently provides outreach services to the Gulf of Carpentaria and surrounds.

He is committed to keeping up to date with the developing challenges of general practice, by taking part in supervising the next generation of Australian general practitioners. He enjoys the breadth and unpredictability of being a GP, and has a special interest in geriatric medicine and palliative care. He is fully qualified in IUD and Implanon devices, and skin cancer surgery.

Dr Rafal Jedraszczyk

General Practitioner

MBBS – Registrar in Training for FRACGP

Dr Rafal Jedraszczyk was born in Poland and grew up in Canada where he completed a Bachelor of Human Kinetics at Brock University in St. Catherines.

Dr Jedraszczyk joined the Canadian Defence Force serving 6 years in the infantry and 4 years in the medical stream as a Healthcare Administrator. He then moved to Australia where he completed medical school at James Cook University gaining a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and an Advanced Certificate in Skin Cancer Surgery.

He is very passionate about Preventative Medicine and his patient’s living life to the fullest by being active and healthy. Dr Jedraszczyk has special interests in Autism, ADHD, Rural Medicine and serving the DVA community through assistance with claims and impairment assessments.

Rafal’s volunteer experiences including a Solidarity Experience Abroad program in Peru, helping disadvantaged children in shanty towns and Pyjama Angels in Australia.

Dr Ashleigh Attard

General Practitioner

MBBS - Registrar in Training for FRACGP

Dr Ashleigh grew up in Home Hill, moving to Townsville to study medicine at James Cook University. After graduating in 2019, she completed her intern and resident medical officer years at Townsville University Hospital before commencing her GP training at Townsville Central Medical Practice.

Her special interests in medicine include Women’s Health and Paediatrics.

On the weekends Dr Attard enjoys spending time with her partner and dog, often down at the beach or traveling back to the Burdekin to spend time with her family over a Sunday pasta lunch.

Dr Jamie Weir

General Practitioner

MBChB (Hons), BSc (Hons), MRCGP

Dr Weir grew up on the east coast of Scotland outside Edinburgh, completed her medical studies in Aberdeen and has been working as a GP on the southside of Glasgow for the past two years, up until her move to Australia.

Dr Weir takes a holistic approach to medicine and enjoys the challenge of treating a variety of conditions found in General Practice, priding herself on providing high quality care to all patients across their lifespan.

On the weekends Dr Weir loves to explore the outdoors, hike, travel and keep active. She also enjoys playing guitar and singing, even writing her own music.

Dr Michael Hickey

General Practitioner

MBBS FRACGP

Dr Michael Hickey grew up in rural Queensland and ran a successful grazing property until he decided on a career change to medicine. After graduating from the University of Queensland, Dr Hickey went on to complete his residency at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane.

He spent many years as a Senior Medical Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with postings throughout Australia, the Pacific, Malaysia and the Philippines. After his posting to RAAF Base Townsville in 1982 he left the RAAF as a senior Squadron Leader and settled in Townsville.

From there he went into private practice which became one of the biggest Medical Practices in Townsville. Dr Michael has held teaching posts with the Family Medicine Programme and has extensive experience supervising GP Medical Students, as Adjunct Senior Lecturer at JCU. Dr Michael is a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Australian College of Tropical Medicine and Australasian Society of Aerospace Medicine.

In semi-retirement Dr Hickey joins the Clements Medical team and brings with him many years of experience, medical knowledge, and wisdom, whilst maintaining and keeping up to date with the latest information, in the practice of medicine.

Dr Natalia Smithson

General Practitioner

MBBS FRACGP

Dr Natalia Smithson graduated from The University of Queensland Medical School in 1996. She received her Fellowship from the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2001 after completing her speciality training. Dr Natalia has more than 15 years of experience in General Practice with a particular focus in women’s and children’s health, mental health, and lifestyle management. Dr Smithson is also an accredited Coal Board employment assessor.

Dr Smithson is a North Queensland local and has resided in Townsville for more than 23 years. She is married with 2 children and 2 dogs. She is passionate about dachshunds and enjoys but is not very good at martial arts.

Dr Joanne Bell

General Practitioner

MBChB (2001), MRCS (London), DO-HNS (Diploma Otorhinolaryngology), S100 Prescriber (HIV/Hepatitis B), FRACGP.

Dr Bell is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practice and takes pride in her work as a specialist in General Practice, enjoying all aspects of the diversity and complexity.

Dr Bell has advanced certification including being an authorised s100 prescriber of hepatitis B and HIV medications, also prescribing medical therapy for hepatitis C and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP).

Dr Bell has a special interest in sexual health including screening for sexually transmitted infections and contraceptives – being fully qualified in IUD and Implanon devices. Dr Bell also offers Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTOP) services.

Dr Gavin Colthart

General Practitioner

MBChB MRCGP FRACGP

Dr Colthart grew up in New Zealand and graduated medicine from Otago University and completed his specialist training as a GP in the UK, gaining MRCGP in 2008 and FRACGP in 2014.

Dr Colthart moved to Townsville in 2018 and works part time at the Clements Medical Townsville city clinic. He also teaches medical students and GP trainees at JCU and is a part-time Medical Officer for the Magnetic Island Emergency Health Service.

Dr Colthart’s special interests are musculoskeletal, exercise medicine and all aspects of chronic disease management, focussing on helping patients feel in control of their care and able to lead the fullest lives possible.

Dr Jessica Eltherington

General Practitioner

MBBS FRACGP

Dr Eltherington is a local James Cook University graduate who has worked in Townsville for the last 8 years, completing her specialist training in General Practice in 2017.

Dr Eltherington enjoys all aspects of general practice with interests in Women’s and Children’s Health, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Medicine and enjoys Chronic Disease Management.

Dr Olaf Rusoke-Dierich

General Practitioner

MBBS (Germany), PhD (Germany), FRACGP

Dr Rusoke-Dierich studied Medicine at the LMU Munich/Germany from 1992-1997, and at the FU Berlin/Germany from 1997-1998 where he graduated medicine. He completed his PhD in medicine (drug and alcohol) in 2007. He came to Australia in 2003 and worked for several years in Emergency Departments north of Brisbane. Since 2007, Dr. Olaf worked as a GP in rural and metropolitan areas and as a doctor for the Australian Defence Force.

Dr Rusoke-Dierich is author of several books and articles, mainly around diving medicine. He has a diverse medical background, including hyperbaric and diving medicine, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, emergency medicine, skin cancer treatment, sports injuries and chronic disease care. Dr Rusoke-Dierich uses his experience from the ADF to support veterans in their DVA claims and impairment assessments.

Dr Savita Kaila

General Practitioner

B Sc. MBBS FRACGP

Dr Kaila graduated from the Sydney Medical School in 2014. Her undergraduate degree is in biology and genetics and she trained in NSW and Queensland as a junior doctor before completing GP training in Townsville.

Dr Kaila loves all aspects of general practice including managing the complexity and uncertainty of chronic disease and aged care. Dr Kaila has several other areas of interests including paediatric, women’s health and antenatal care and palliative care. In her spare time, she loves to read, spend time at the strand and travel.

Dr Emma Rossato

General Practitioner

MBBS FRACGP

Dr Rossato grew up in Townsville and graduated medicine from the University of Queensland in 2004 and obtained her FRACGP in 2020.

Dr Rossato’s special interests are in women and children’s health, weight loss through low carbohydrate diet, and optimal management of diabetes. Dr Rossato offers Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTOP) services.

Dr Emma lives with husband, four children, two cats and a dog.

Dr Lawrie McArthur

General Practitioner

MBBS DRACOG FRACGP FACRRM PhD

Dr McArthur offers over three decades experience and expertise, as a rural based clinician, teacher, manager, researcher, developer, and rural generalist. His clinical background in obstetrics, anaesthetics, emergency and family medicine, ensues a holistic approach to each person.

Dr McArthur has been fortunate to have worked in many communities, large regional hospitals and emergency departments, across South Australia, Queensland, United Kingdom and remote low resource areas of Somalia and Nepal. His clinical interests are family medicine, shared antenatal care, children’s health, chronic disease management, sporting injuries and skin cancer management.

Dr McArthur has extensive experience in medical education across the continuum of undergraduate, prevocational medical and postgraduate GP training. He is an examiner for post graduate specialist colleges of ACRRM and RACGP,  and teaches various emergency medicine courses. Working with James Cook University, his passion and enthusiasm in rural and global health, underpins a vision for high quality rural training, to build a sustainable workforce that meets the needs of the community.