When most people think of a typical medical provider, they rarely picture them as a guitar-playing vocalist in a retro rock band. For patients of Dr. Christopher McGrath of Geelong Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, they cannot picture him as anything else. Turns out, he can play a guitar just as meticulously as he handles a bone file.
As a self-proclaimed rocker and avid bass player, Dr. McGrath has always had great passion for music. This came second to his love for medicine, so he chose to pursue a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery, only on the condition that one day he could revive his interest in music. In 2008, he and two mates started a boutique band called “Time, is not on our side” which covers 1950s and 1960s rock music, including obscure songs by timeless and not-so-timeless bands of the era.
Dr. McGrath plays the electric bass and sings with his bandmates who share the same love for rock music. His mate, Peter Huf, is the band’s guitarist and musical director, and Victor Hartig sings backing vocals and plays percussion. “Time, is not on our side” has already booked a number of gigs, including the wedding of a Geelong Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery staff member, and the celebration of a 50th birthday.
“I cannot imagine my life without music in it,” said Dr. McGrath. “I have always known that it would be part of me in some form or another, and I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to do everything I love.”
Dr. McGrath dedicates most of his time to his thriving oral surgery practice in Geelong, where he offers a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery services to his patients, but he never lets his music fall to the wayside.
As someone who is no stranger to hard work, Dr. McGrath has put everything he has into both his medical profession and his band. He was recently awarded a surgical fellowship in the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and is currently being considered for membership of the oral surgery section of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers (due to commence in 2015). It is this hard work and dedication that makes him so good at what he does – both on stage and in the operating room.
“I have always been the type of person that, if I’m going to do something, I’m going to give it my all,” said Dr. McGrath. “I am honored to be in a profession that not only helps people overcome pain and trauma but also gives me the flexibility to play music.”
For more information about Dr. McGrath, and Geelong Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, visit http://geelongoms.com.au. For more information on “Time, is not on our side,” visit www.facebook.comtimeisnotonourside.