There's barely a GP's surgery in Australia—or indeed across the world—that doesn't have a well-thumbed copy of 'John Murtagh's General Practice' sitting on its bookshelf.
The man behind this legendary medical text, Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO, has passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family. He was 89.
'For dad, it was always about helping people,' his daughter Julie Tullberg told medical publication AusDoc, announcing her father's passing in a heartfelt LinkedIn tribute. 'We're super proud of his legacy in medicine. Dad's work has guided generations of doctors. Dad was a trailblazer during his time at Monash University.'
But perhaps the most telling tribute comes from the medical community itself. In a survey of 150 Australian GPs, 60 per cent named Professor Murtagh as their favourite medical hero—ahead of household names like Professor Fred Hollows and Dr Victor Chang.
In this article
'I feel like he's kind of the grandfather of Australian general practice'
The textbook that changed everything
Professor Murtagh's claim to fame wasn't built on groundbreaking surgery or dramatic medical breakthroughs. Instead, it was his practical, down-to-earth approach to everyday medicine that revolutionised general practice education worldwide.
His seminal textbook, John Murtagh's General Practice, first published in 1994 and now in its ninth edition, was the guide for medical students and GP trainees. But what made it special wasn't just its comprehensiveness.
'When it came to writing General Practice, I tried to write simply and to address common problems like dandruff, and hangovers, and bad breath—things you don't get in the usual textbooks,' Professor Murtagh once explained.
The impact has been extraordinary. The textbook has been translated into thirteen languages and is available in hard copy and electronically. It's been adopted as the family medicine text by both the Russian and Chinese Ministries of Health. The book became the highest selling medical textbook of the past 20 years.
In a poignant twist, Professor Murtagh died just weeks after completing the latest edition of his groundbreaking textbook. Even in his final weeks, he remained dedicated to helping the next generation of doctors.
From polio patient to medical pioneer
Professor Murtagh's path to medicine began with personal hardship. Aged eight, he contracted polio and spent many months convalescing, and this helped spark a lifelong interest in medicine.
He graduated from Monash University in the first MBBS class of 1966—a member of the inaugural medical cohort at what would become one of Australia's leading medical schools. But rather than heading straight to the city's prestigious hospitals, Professor Murtagh chose a different path.
Professor Murtagh worked for many years as a rural GP in Neerim South in the foothills of the Great Dividing Ranges and was held in the highest regard by his colleagues and the many patients he cared for. Professor Murtagh and his wife Jill relished the opportunity of being the only medical practitioners in their small community, saying that it was the best part of his career.
Professor Murtagh's rural wisdom
His experience as a rural doctor treating 'the weird and wonderful in rural practice' gave him 'fabulous tips about treatment of common conditions like how to get a fish hook out of a finger.'
Academic excellence with a humble heart
After a decade in rural practice, Professor Murtagh returned to Monash University to begin his teaching career. He was appointed Senior Lecturer at Monash University while in Rural Practice and subsequently Professor of General Practice in 1993 and Head of Department of General Practice until retirement from that position.
His teaching style was as practical as his textbooks. 'He was a very inspirational teacher who really understood how to get across key concepts,' recalls Professor Danielle Mazza, one of his former students.
Source: Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne / Youtube.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said Professor Murtagh could 'explain both complex concepts and practical procedures in an approachable and engaging way,' adding that his dedication had transformed general practice and family medicine both in Australia and around the world. 'Professor Murtagh’s childhood experience with polio shaped his compassion and lifelong commitment to medicine,' Dr Wright said
The College's John Murtagh Library was named in his honour in 2005—a testament to the high regard in which he was held by the Royal Australian College of GPs.
Yet despite his fame and accolades, colleagues consistently describe Professor Murtagh's humility. 'Ask anyone who met Professor Murtagh, and they will tell you that he was such a sincere and humble person dedicated to improving the lives of others,' said RACGP President Dr Michael Wright.
Recognition and honours
Professor Murtagh's contributions didn't go unnoticed by Australia's honours system. In 1995 he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to medical education, research and publishing. He was then made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2019. In 2007, he received Life Fellowship of the RACGP and the World Organization of Family Doctors in recognition of his global contributions to general practice.
The medical profession also recognised his excellence. In 2018, the AMA awarded Professor Murtagh with its highest honour, the AMA gold medal. At the time, then-AMA president Dr Michael Gannon called Professor Murtagh's contribution to general practice 'incomparable'.
Professor Murtagh's lasting legacy
- Authored the world's most influential general practice textbook
- His academic works translated into numerous languages across 20 countries
- Named favourite medical hero by 60 per cent of Australian GPs
- Dedicated his career to making medicine accessible and practical
- The Department of General Practice John Murtagh Annual Update Course was named in his honour
A life of service until the end
Even in retirement, Professor Murtagh remained active in medical education. Although retired from full time work at Monash, he was still active in the Department of General Practice and continued to deliver the general practitioners update course annually.
'Throughout his career, Professor Murtagh revolutionised medical education through his innovative teaching methods, empowered patients by making medical knowledge accessible, and inspired countless doctors with his compassionate, patient-centred approach to care,' said AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen.
The tributes pouring in from across the medical community reflect not just professional respect, but genuine affection. 'For generations of GPs, including mine, Professor Murtagh was the most famous GP we knew,' said Dr Wright.
'I like people and I like students, and although it is sometimes a little embarrassing when people make a fuss, it also gives you a buzz to see your work has meant something to people,' Professor Murtagh once said—a comment that perfectly captures the humble giant Australian medicine has lost.
Australian medicine has lost one of its most beloved figures—a man who proved that the greatest medical advances sometimes come not from high-tech procedures, but from clear thinking, practical wisdom, and genuine care for both patients and the doctors who serve them.
How has Professor Murtagh’s work shaped your approach to medicine or patient care? Have you encountered his book anywhere? Share your reflections and stories in the comments below.
Primary Source
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/h...a4472ae9b0fc8a891606a340a4c8a4?from=rss-basic
RACGP—Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice
Cited text: He passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family.
Excerpt: Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO, has passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family.
https://www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/me...-professor-john-murtagh-a-giant-of-australian
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: He passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family.
Excerpt: Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO, has passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, surrounded by members of his loving family.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
RACGP—Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice
Cited text: He was 89 · Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) President Dr Michael Wright described Professor Murtagh as a towering figure in general practice a...
Excerpt: He was 89.
https://www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/me...-professor-john-murtagh-a-giant-of-australian
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: He was 89.
Excerpt: He was 89.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
‘A sad day for general practice’: Professor John Murtagh dies aged 89 | AusDoc
Cited text: “For dad, it was always about helping people,” Ms Tullberg told AusDoc.
Excerpt: 'For dad, it was always about helping people,'
https://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/a-sad-day-for-general-practice-professor-john-murtagh-dies-aged-89/
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: “We’re super proud of his legacy in medicine,” Murtagh’s daughter Monash University lecturer Julie Tullberg shared via LinkedIn. “Dad’s work has guide...
Excerpt: 'We're super proud of his legacy in medicine. Dad's work has guided generations of doctors.
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: Sixty per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by the Medical Observer named Professor Murtagh as their first choice for hero above other well-kn...
Excerpt: 60 per cent named Professor Murtagh as their favourite medical hero
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: · “His seminal textbook, John Murtagh’s General Practice, first published in 1994 and now in its ninth edition, was our guide during medical school an...
Excerpt: His seminal textbook, John Murtagh's General Practice, first published in 1994 and now in its ninth edition, was the guide for medical students and GP trainees.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: “When it came to writing General Practice, I tried to write simply and to address common problems like dandruff, and hangovers, and bad breath—thing...
Excerpt: 'When it came to writing General Practice, I tried to write simply and to address common problems like dandruff, and hangovers, and bad breath—things you don't get in the usual textbooks,'
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO—Department of General Practice
Cited text: He is also highly acclaimed author of several internationally adopted textbooks including John Murtagh’s General Practice which has been translated in...
Excerpt: The textbook has been translated into thirteen languages and is available in hard copy and electronically.
https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/general-practice/about/profile-john-murtagh
Patron of WOOMB International—WOOMB International
Cited text: Murtagh’s General Practice has been translated into thirteen languages and has been the adopted family medicine text by both the Russian and Chinese M...
Excerpt: It's been adopted as the family medicine text by both the Russian and Chinese Ministries of Health.
https://woombinternational.org/about-us/patron/
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: The pre-eminent GP’s text has been adopted widely both in Australia and Asia and is the highest selling medical textbook of the past 20 years.
Excerpt: The book became the highest selling medical textbook of the past 20 years.
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
‘A sad day for general practice’: Professor John Murtagh dies aged 89 | AusDoc
Cited text: 20 October 2025 · Prominent GPs are leading tributes for Emeritus Professor John Murtagh, who has died just weeks after completing the latest edition ...
Excerpt: Professor Murtagh died just weeks after completing the latest edition of his groundbreaking textbook.
https://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/a-sad-day-for-general-practice-professor-john-murtagh-dies-aged-89/
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: Aged eight, he contracted polio and spent many months convalescing, and this helped spark a lifelong interest in medicine.
Excerpt: Aged eight, he contracted polio and spent many months convalescing, and this helped spark a lifelong interest in medicine.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: Professor Murtagh graduated from Monash in the first MBBS class of 1966 and spent ten years working in a country medical practice in Victoria before r...
Excerpt: He graduated from Monash University in the first MBBS class of 1966
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: Professor Murtagh worked for many years as a rural GP in Neerim South in the foothills of the Great Dividing Ranges and was held in the highest regard...
Excerpt: Professor Murtagh worked for many years as a rural GP in Neerim South in the foothills of the Great Dividing Ranges and was held in the highest regard by his colleagues and the many patients he cared for.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: · “Professor Murtagh and his wife Jill relished the opportunity of being the only medical practitioners in their small community, saying that it was t...
Excerpt: Professor Murtagh and his wife Jill relished the opportunity of being the only medical practitioners in their small community, saying that it was the best part of his career.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: “He had these fabulous insights of being a rural doctor and treating the weird and wonderful in rural practice, with all of these fabulous tips about ...
Excerpt: His experience as a rural doctor treating 'the weird and wonderful in rural practice' gave him 'fabulous tips about treatment of common conditions like how to get a fish hook out of a finger.'
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
Patron of WOOMB International—WOOMB International
Cited text: He was appointed Senior Lecturer at Monash University while in Rural Practice and subsequently Professor of General Practice in 1993 and Head of Depar...
Excerpt: He was appointed Senior Lecturer at Monash University while in Rural Practice and subsequently Professor of General Practice in 1993 and Head of Department of General Practice until retirement from that position.
https://woombinternational.org/about-us/patron/
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: “He was a very inspirational teacher who really understood how to get across key concepts.” · Both the RACGP and AMA have released statements highligh...
Excerpt: 'He was a very inspirational teacher who really understood how to get across key concepts,'
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: “The College’s John Murtagh Library was named in his honour in 2005 and is testament to how highly he was regarded by the RACGP and GPs across Austral...
Excerpt: The College's John Murtagh Library was named in his honour in 2005
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: Despite this, Professor Murtagh’s awards and recognition never defined his view of the world or his place in it,” he said · “Ask anyone who met Profe...
Excerpt: 'Ask anyone who met Professor Murtagh, and they will tell you that he was such a sincere and humble person dedicated to improving the lives of others,'
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
Patron of WOOMB International—WOOMB International
Cited text: In 1995 he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to medical education, research and publishing.
Excerpt: In 1995 he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to medical education, research and publishing.
https://woombinternational.org/about-us/patron/
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: He was then made an Officer of the Order of Australia [AO] in 2019.” · Dr Wright said that Professor Murtagh’s dedication to improving rural and remo...
Excerpt: He was then made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2019.
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: “Ask anyone who met Professor Murtagh, and they will tell you that he was such a sincere and humble person dedicated to improving the lives of others....
Excerpt: In 2018, the AMA awarded Professor Murtagh with its highest honour, the AMA gold medal.
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: Professor Murtagh will be remembered for his extensive contributions to medicine, especially in the education field, with his academic works translate...
Excerpt: His academic works translated into numerous languages across 20 countries
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
Emeritus Professor John Murtagh AO—Department of General Practice
Cited text: The Department of General Practice John Murtagh Annual Update Course was named in honour of Emeritus Professor John Murtagh’s extraordinary contributi...
Excerpt: The Department of General Practice John Murtagh Annual Update Course was named in his honour
https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/general-practice/about/profile-john-murtagh
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: Although retired from full time work at Monash, he is still active in the Department of General Practice and continues to deliver the general practiti...
Excerpt: Although retired from full time work at Monash, he was still active in the Department of General Practice and continued to deliver the general practitioners update course annually.
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
'Grandfather of general practice' Professor John Murtagh passes—Medical Republic
Cited text: “Throughout his career, Professor Murtagh revolutionised medical education through his innovative teaching methods, empowered patients by making medic...
Excerpt: 'Throughout his career, Professor Murtagh revolutionised medical education through his innovative teaching methods, empowered patients by making medical knowledge accessible, and inspired countless doctors with his compassionate,…
https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/...practice-professor-john-murtagh-passes/120754
Vale Professor John Murtagh: A giant of Australian general practice—News Hub
Cited text: · “For generations of GPs, including mine, Professor Murtagh was the most famous GP we knew,” he said.
Excerpt: 'For generations of GPs, including mine, Professor Murtagh was the most famous GP we knew,'
https://newshub.medianet.com.au/202...-giant-of-australian-general-practice/124277/
The GP’s hero—Monash University
Cited text: “I like people and I like students, and although it is sometimes a little embarrassing when people make a fuss, it also gives you a buzz to see your w...
Excerpt: 'I like people and I like students, and although it is sometimes a little embarrassing when people make a fuss, it also gives you a buzz to see your work has meant something to people,'
https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/the-gps-hero-1
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