Our Doctors

 Our doctors have broad general practice experience, each complemented by having special interest areas. They consult in shared overlapping shifts during weekdays and participate in a rotating roster on Saturday mornings.

Dr Robert Hosking

Dr Robert (Rob) Hosking (MBBS, DRANZCOG, GradCertHealthInformatics, FRACGP, FAIDH) is a specialist General Practitioner and co-owner who has been at The Elms since 1994. A graduate of Melbourne University, he is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and holds the Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Rob has special interests in men's health (including performing vasectomies), women's health, antenatal care, paediatrics and skin conditions. He is involved with training Registrars as a Medical Supervisor in the post-graduate General Practice Training Program. Rob has a keen interest in the use of computers and technology in general practice, having previously completed a Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics from Monash University, and he is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health. He is the current Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee - Practice Technology and Management (REC-PTM), which advises on matters relating to digital technology, information management and e-health standards.

Dr Woodrow Wu

Dr Woodrow (Woody) Wu (MBBS, DRANZCOG, GradDipFamMed, GradDipRural, MFM (Clin), DCH, FRACGP-RG, FACRRM, FARGP) is a specialist General Practitioner and co-owner who has been at the practice since 1999. He is a graduate of Melbourne University, and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, and a Rural Generalist Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Woody holds the Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and has interests in women's and men's health, orthopaedics, and paediatrics. He is a Medical Supervisor involved with training Registrars in the post-graduate General Practice Training Program, and an Affiliate Senior Lecturer at the Deakin University School of Medicine. He has completed a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Rural General Practice/Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice, and has a Masters degree in Family Medicine through Monash University. He has also been awarded the Diploma in Child Health through The Children's Hospital, Westmead and The University of Sydney.

Dr Amit Kumar

Dr Amit Kumar (MD, DA, FRACGP) is a specialist General Practitioner and co-owner who has been at The Elms since 2013. Along with his degree as a Doctor of Medicine, he has also completed a post-graduate diploma in anaesthesia and intensive care. Amit is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and has interests in men's health, emergency care, mental health, skin cancer excisions, travel medicine, paediatrics, and the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. He is involved with training Registrars as a Medical Supervisor in the post-graduate General Practice Training Program, teaching medical students from Deakin University, and also has a part-time role as an educator for candidates completing the Australian Medical Council examination. Outside of work, Amit enjoys playing cricket, flying radio-controlled planes, music, transcendental meditation and learning about quantum physics. Amit can consult in English, Hindi, Bangla and Punjabi.

Dr Ummu Rauf

Dr Ummu Rauf (MBBS, DCH, DRANZCOG, FRACGP) is a specialist General Practitioner and co-owner who has been at the practice since 2015. In addition to her undergraduate medical degree, she is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Ummu has also completed the Diploma in Child Health through The Children's Hospital, Westmead and The University of Sydney, and the Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She is a Medical Supervisor involved with training Registrars in the post-graduate General Practice Training Program, along with teaching medical students from Deakin University. Her other interests include paediatrics, women's health, obstetrics (shared care), mental health and aged care. Ummu performs skin cancer excisions, Mirena intra-uterine device insertion, and the insertion and removal of Implanon implants. Away from the clinic, Ummu is involved in community charity programs, and enjoys cooking, reading, walking, plus spending time with family and friends. She can consult in English, Sinhala and Tamil, with some Hindi and Urdu.

Dr Ayesha Munir

Dr Ayesha Munir (MBBS, FRACGP) is a specialist General Practitioner who has been consulting at The Elms since 2014. Along with completing her undergraduate medical degree, she is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Ayesha has a particular interest in women's health, antenatal shared care, children's health, performing skin checks and excisions, and chronic disease management of conditions including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. She also inserts and removes the Implanon contraceptive implant. When not at work, Ayesha enjoys trips to the beach, going out to watch the latest movie, making the most of family time, and catching up with friends. In addition to English, Ayesha can also comfortably consult in Urdu.

Dr Andrija Pandza

Dr Andrija (Andrew) Pandza (BBioMed, MD, FRACGP) is a specialist General Practitioner who has been at The Elms since February 2023. Andrew graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Biomedicine degree, and as a Doctor of Medicine, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Andrew's medical interests include paediatrics, men's health, diabetes and chronic disease care, and preventative medicine. When not at work, he enjoys gardening, hiking, travelling and exploring local attractions.

Dr Tahmina Sultana

Dr Tahmina Sultana (MBBS, DRANZCOG, EMC(ACEM), FRACGP) is a specialist General Practitioner who started at The Elms in July 2023. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and has also completed the Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the Emergency Medicine Certificate of the Australasian College For Emergency Medicine. Tahmina has a special interest in women's health, antenatal care, paediatrics, chronic disease management, emergency medicine, and performing skin lesion excisions. Outside of medicine, Tahmina enjoys gardening and writing fiction, including actively participating in a community writing awareness group. She consults in English, as well as being fluent in Hindi and Bangla.

Dr Laura Machan

Dr Laura Machan (BSc, MD) graduated in medicine at Melbourne University and started at The Elms in February 2023 as a registrar in the General Practice Training Program studying towards the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She has previously completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in physiology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Laura has performed rotations in general medicine, general surgery, anaesthetics, and emergency at the Western Hospital and Northern Hospital. Most recently, she has completed a general practice placement in Melton, and she is a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Registrar Liaison Officer. Laura's areas of interest include paediatrics, women's health, antenatal management and postnatal care. Apart from work, she spends her time juggling being a busy mum to her daughter (and two dogs), performing pilates, and enjoying regular exercise.

Laura will be away for 12 months of maternity leave starting March 2024.

Dr Kithmini Cooray

Dr Kithmini Cooray (BMedSc, MD) is a registrar in the General Practice Training Program studying towards the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She started her placement at The Elms in February 2024 after finishing general practice rotations in St Helena, and Doreen, and earlier hospital-based terms in general medicine, general surgery, paediatrics, emergency medicine, and cardiology. Kithmini graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Science, and as a Doctor of Medicine at Monash University. Her medical interests include women's health, paediatrics, sexual health, skin lesion excisions, and preventative care. Outside of work, Kithmini likes to cycle, and to bake creatively.

Dr Rahul Panchal

Dr Rahul Panchal (BSc, BMedSt, MD) graduated in medicine at Bond University and started at The Elms in February 2024 as a registrar in the General Practice Training Program studying towards the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. He has previously completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in biomedical science at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Medical Studies at Bond University. Rahul has performed rotations in general medicine, general surgery, paediatrics, and emergency at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, and Monash Health. Most recently, he has completed general practice placements in Moonee Ponds, and Newport. Rahul's areas of interest include chronic disease management, men's health, travel medicine, and sexual health.

Dr Ronnen Leizerovitz

Dr Ronnen (Ron) Leizerovitz (BSc, D-Lang(Spanish), MD, DRANZCOG) is a registrar in the General Practice Training Program studying towards the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. He started his placement at The Elms in February 2024 after finishing a general practice rotation in North Melbourne, and earlier hospital-based terms in general medicine, general surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and emergency medicine. Ron graduated with a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma of Languages majoring in Spanish, and as a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. He has also completed the Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. His medical interests include women's health, adolescent health, sexual health, and mental health. Outside of work, Ron likes to play the piano, sing, read, meditate and cycle.

General Practice Specialisation

General Practice is a defined medical speciality in Australia. Doctors must complete certified post-graduate training to become a specialist General Practitioner. Achieving Fellowship in either the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, or the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine qualifies a doctor as a specialist in Primary Care and Family Medicine.

Deakin University Medical Student

The Elms is affiliated with the Rural Community Clinical School of the Deakin University School of Medicine and has been hosting third-year medical students since 2011. Each placement is for 12 months and during this time the student receives teaching from our doctors and nurses, plus experience through direct patient interaction and parallel consulting. Our medical student in 2024 is Elisha Johns, with Dr Woody Wu, Dr Amit Kumar and Dr Ummu Rauf as his primary supervisors. Prior to commencing postgraduate medical studies at Deakin University, Elisha completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree, also at Deakin University. Originally from Mildura, he grew up in Melbourne and is keen to experience the long-term patient care associated with community general practice. Outside of study, Elisha enjoys board games, competitive basketball, netball and badminton, as well as dabbling in marathon running.

▲ Elisha