Dr Lachlan Soper is a General Practitioner with over two decades of experience, living and working in Mosman, Sydney, Australia. Lachlan Soper is currently working at the Avenue Road Medical Practice, where he practices health care by demonstrating compassion for his patients in a relaxed and caring environment by listening to them and working together on an optimal treatment plan.

Before beginning his experienced medical career, Dr Lachlan Soper graduated from medicine in 2000 and attained his FRACGP (Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) in 2006. Lachlan Soper has worked in Dee Why, North Sydney, and Muswellbrook, where he was a partner at the Brook Medical Centre until mid-2017.

As a medical professional, Lachlan Soper values, above all, integrity, family care, quality, and putting the patient first. To deliver quality medical care in the best interests of his patients, Lachlan Soper believes that it is essential to operate with the highest standards of integrity. Lachlan is also a firm believer that to deliver high-quality health care service he must always enable and encourage his patients to maintain a high quality of life. Lachlan Soper considers the patients’ unique needs and interests to determine the care provided.

Outside of his medical profession, of all the roles and responsibilities he’s taken on, being a father is the most rewarding for Lachlan Soper. The responsibility of raising his young children, molding them, and helping them learn how to make their own decisions, isn’t one that Lachlan Soper takes lightly. He feels honored and blessed to have the opportunity to share his life through authentic conversations with his children through that very molding process.

One of his favorite activities to do outside of work with his family is cycling through his community and country. Lachlan Soper’s love for cycling started during childhood and his enjoyment of cycling has yet to diminish decades later. To date, his bike has taken him all over the country, including through the Victorian Alps, the New South Wales Snowy Mountains, and from Melbourne to Sydney twice. In addition to cycling for personal goals, Lachlan has also participated in a number of charity rides.

Dr Lachlan Soper enjoys the full spectrum of general practice from newborns, through their parents, to those in their more senior years. He believes the true reward in general practice lies in the unique opportunity it affords you for continuity of care throughout many generations and over many years, as what patients would refer to as “my family GP”.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

As a medical student, from the start of my degree, I knew that I wanted to be a general practitioner. I took the opportunity to do as many elective rotations as possible in general practice. I sat under the tutelage of about 30+ different practitioners during that time, and felt a particular connection to the method of practice and advocacy of Dr George Quittner, principal of Avenue Road Medical Practice. It then took about 20 years to come back! I was giving a seminar to high school students in 2020, as was Dr Quittner. We reconnected there and the offer to come back was extended and happily received.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I work Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at Avenue Road Medical Practice. I start at 8am and finish around 6:30 to 7pm. I also work 1 in 4 Saturdays.
In most general practices patients have to plan to be sick. What I mean by that is that the doctors are usually booked out several days or weeks in advance, however at Avenue Road Medical Practice there are always appointments on the day available and even when all the slots fill up on the day (as they usually do), we make an effort to fit people in, so that if they need to see a doctor an appointment is available for them on the day they need it. This can often result in the days being rather busy.

How do you bring ideas to life?

By reading widely and listening to people both with similar and different viewpoints to me. We can and should always be learning in life. Those ideas then need to be actualised into detailed action plans.

What’s one trend that excites you?

It’s not really a trend, but what excites me is fostering deep, authentic and vulnerable friendships with people who are with you through thick and thin.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Starting up my own practise which I ran for 8 years before joining the Avenue Medical Practise, I found that regular exercise. no matter what (unless significantly unwell) is very important to be physically and mentally fit. Planning and seeing through regular daily exercise – for me that is cycling 5 days a week, weights twice a week, walking 3-5 days a week is crucial. Along with maintaining a work/life balance, it’s important not to let the burdens of running a business take over all your time.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Read the Scriptures most days from a young age, think through them, pray through them, be humbly moulded by them.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

In the last recession in 1991, I watched as our home dropped in value by 36%.
While very few people who have invested in property over the past couple of decades feel it can go down much, I think unfortunately the property market may well drop 30% from its dizzying heights in late 2021.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I’m constantly reading medical journals and research to help keep me up to date with the latest technology, information and updates. It’s really important to stay ahead of the curve so you can offer the best treatment options to patients.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Being the best you can be professionally – daily read new developments in medicine, do your best in your vocation, care for your patients and desire their best outcomes. The rest will follow – if you’re competent, thorough and care for your patients / clients, then your practise will grow. It’s not a quick way to grow a business, but it builds deep roots of quality and integrity which last through the storms.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Not being patient enough. Developing patience – it’s a lifelong journey (sometimes it’s forced on you, sometimes you choose it).

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Develop technologies to disprove (de-fraud) “Deepfake” videos – to develop technology to verify whether photos or videos are authentic or not.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

A share platter lunch with my wife by the beach. Great food and better bonding.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

Google Calendar – planning and prioritising my day, week and year.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – the title is self-explanatory.

What is your favorite quote?

“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
― Abraham Lincoln

Key Learnings:

• Practice your vocation with integrity – success follows that
• Regular daily exercise keeps the body and mind fit for purpose
• Plan and prepare your day, week and year.