- Zoe
Dr Rob Ziffer retiring after 44 years
Dr Rob Ziffer is finally hanging up his stethoscope and switching latex gloves for golf gloves after nearly five decades of providing healthcare services to the Gippsland region.
After 44 years as a consultant physician, specialising in cardiology and a pioneer in Sale Hospital’s critical care services, Dr Rob Ziffer is retiring.
“I have really done a bout of stages. I was working full-time until about five years ago, then I got off the hospital roster because that involved being on call, and I’d been on call all my working life, and that gets a bit demanding,” Dr Ziffer said.
“It was the best part of nearly 50 years on call, so I thought it was time to give that up.
“Then I just cut back to doing some clinics at the hospital, and I shut my rooms and did some teaching, and I have been doing that for the past four or five years.
“I was just waiting until the hospital in my particular area was struggling a bit with staff, so I didn’t really want to go until that was all sorted out, and then the pandemic came, and everyone had to pull their weight during that time.
“But now that everything is settled down a bit and the hospital’s workforce is substantially more robust, I thought it was a good time to go.”
After graduating from high school, Dr Ziffer wasted no time heading straight to Melbourne University, where he would complete his degree in medicine.
“I was a babyboomer, and things were a bit different then,” Dr Ziffer said.
“The schools were very full, and so you didn’t get a lot of chance to get counselled on where you went.
“I WAS INTERESTED IN A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT IN THE END, I CHOSE MEDICINE, AND I WAS VERY GLAD I DID.
“It was also during the 60s, so that was a great time to be young,” he laughed with eyes gleaming, reminiscing on his younger days.
“There was lots happening, a lot of change, and I really enjoyed my time at uni.”
The pathways in medicine are a labyrinth; with so many career paths available, it’s a wonder how one could choose what to pursue.
But Dr Ziffer saw what he wanted and did what he had to do to get to where he is today.