Our GP's
Dr Michael Smith
Dr. Michael Smith graduated in 1983 and began his medical career working at the Cairns Hospital. He commenced general practice in 1988 and has developed a special interest in skin disease, especially skin cancer detection and removal.
Dr Mark Laws
Dr Mark Laws is a GP of great experience and knowledge. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1981. After 4 years of hospital experience in Brisbane, Mt Isa and Townsville, Mark moved to Cairns where he started in General practice in 1986. He worked for 2 years at Cairns Base Hospital 1992-3, then joined Dr Michael Smith at Toogood Road Medical centre in 1994. Mark is interested in heart disease, diabetes, asthma, men's health, is happy to see women and children. He is an experienced skin surgeon working at Skin Cancer Cairns on Wednesday afternoons. Mark is interested in orthopaedics and has assisted orthopaedic surgeons in the operating room at Cairns Private Hospital for many years.
When he is not doctoring, Mark enjoys his motorbike, water and snow skiing and travel.
Dr Graeme Balch
Dr Graeme Balch gained his basic degree in 1978 at Otago University (NZ), followed by an Obstetrics Diploma (1982) and a Fellowship of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners by examination in 1989. He worked in Rural Tasmania for the first 6yrs of his General Practice Career followed by 4 years of rural practice in Queensland, Western Australia and The Northern Territory arriving in Cairns in 1993 following a year in a private Accident and Emergency centre in Darwin. He has been a part owner of The Toogood Road Family Medical Centre since 1996. He is married to Harmina (an Occupational Therapist) since 1977 and they have 3 adult children (Margot, Nigel and Nicola). He is passionate about quality medical care and has been a teacher of medical students and young GP's for many years and an examiner for the Royal Australian College of GP's since 1977. Dr Balch has been conducting cardiac stress testing for Cairns Diagnostic Imaging department of nuclear medicine since 2000. His current medical interests are ear disease and has performed over 15,000 microscopic ear toilets, skin cancer, men's health and cardiovascular disease. He is involved in research on treatment of acute external ear infection with JCU. Non medical interests include barramundi fishing, reef fishing, snorkelling, bushwalking, reading fiction and non fiction, fine wine and dining, philosophy, palaeoanthropology, travelling, camping, bird watching and orchids.
Dr Elizabeth Martin
Dr Elizabeth Martin graduated from Melbourne University in 1992 with an MBBS, completed a Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1995 and a Fellowship of the RACGP in 1997. She moved to Cairns in 2000. Elizabeth is passionate about good family medicine, a healthy lifestyle and getting the most out of life. Her interests include laughing with her family, walking up hills, drinking coffee with friends, novel writing, yoga, patting her dog and cat, travelling, cooking and eating. Elizabeth feels everyone can benefit from a good GP, and nutrition and lifestyle are the cornerstones of health. She is interested in tailoring medicine to the individual patient, as well as teaching and learning from the next generation of doctors. She teaches Registrars through JCU and is a past Secretary of the FNQLDA.
Dr Lata Mantha
Dr Lata Mantha graduated in 1983 from Andhra University in India. Since migration to Australia in 1991 she had further training at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Cairns Base Hospital and rural and remote experience at Alice Springs Hospital. She completed her AMC in 2003 and her Fellowship of General Practice in 2008. Her special interest is in women’s health, diabetes and Mental Health. Dr Mantha has an interest in Medical Education and works part time as Director of Clinical Training at Cairns Hospital.
Dr Kayley Baxter
Dr Kayley Baxter was born and raised in North Queensland. After graduating from James Cook University in 2010 she worked in various NQ locations including Townsville and Atherton before settling in Cairns. Kayley was awarded her fellowship with RACGP in 2015. She has a particular interest in women and children’s health
Dr Logan Shemer
Dr Logan Shemer is a graduate of the University of Melbourne with 6 years’ experience in hospital based medicine, other than Melbourne he has worked in various locations across Australia and recently relocated from Albany WA. Logan has a broad interest in medicine, including the management of chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease, diabetes, gender specific health, geriatrics and palliative care with further study in the latter field.
He is a firm believer in patient centered medicine and regards kindness, compassion and honesty as the mainstay of good medical practice. When not at work, he enjoys the gym, video gaming and running with his beloved 8 year old Beagle, Bella along the Esplanade.
Dr Katie Drewett
Dr Katie graduated from the University of QLD in 2007 and her passion for children’s health initially saw her pursuing a career in paediatrics. In 2012 she realized that it was actually the continuity of care and diversity of presentations that can only be seen in general practice which was her true passion.
Since then Dr Katie has maintained her keen interest in paediatrics being a guest writer in a medical blog about common conditions in children, working as a medical officer in QLD’s only paediatric hospice, and also continuing to see and treat a wide range of paediatric medical conditions in her general practice.
Since starting her general practice training in 2014 Dr Katie has expanded her range of career interests to include women’s health including fertility and pregnancy care, chronic medical conditions, skin cancer care, rural and remote medicine, and aboriginal and torres strait islander health. Dr Katie has recently moved to Cairns from Cape York, where she had been living and working in a remote community with her family for the last 18 months. Outside of work her husband and 3 young children keep her very busy, and being new to Cairns they are keen to explore all the area has to offer.
Our Nurses
Robyn heads up our experienced team of nurses. She is joined by Janet, Robyn S and Nola with a combined 50 plus years of experience giving Toogood Road Family Medical Centre a large knowledge base to support our doctors looking after all your health needs. Their additional qualifications enable them to give childhood vaccinations, treat and manage wounds, assist with your care plans and health assessments and help manage your diabetes.