Dr. Varghese Zachariah
Functional & Integrative Medical Practitioner
ABN: 74 863 772 143
Dr. Varghese Zachariah, also known in the community as ‘Zac’, has been practicing in the Hills since 2007 starting off at Selby and then into Upwey.
An experienced GP with 14 in general practice and 7 years spent earlier in various medical specialties including emergency medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology and a short stint with the Australian Defence Forces.
These days however, he is working hard and training to become a certified functional medicine practitioner with the Institute of Functional Medicine in the US apart from learning from ACNEM here in Melbourne and various other such institutions. Passionate about whole person medicine and lifestyle medicine, he hopes to address root causes of human body dysfunction and bring healing through using the God given healing capacity of our bodies with a little nudge of lifestyle & supplements as needed (and last resort of pharmaceuticals).
His career highlights are:
- Australian trained GP holding an FRACGP
- 20+ years of experience as a GP
- Diploma in Children’s Health [DCH]
- Certificate of Applied Functional Medicine [AFMCP]
- Certificate in Prolotherapy & Perineural therapy
- Certificate in Anti-Oxidant Therapies
- Accredited Fracture Management Doctor for Victorian Health networks
Professional Memberships held:
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine
- Australasian College of Lifestyle Medicine
- Australian College of Medical Nutrition
- Institute of Functional Medicine USA
Well acquainted with the health care model in Australia, his initial years were spent working across all facets of medicine in hospitals ranging from Maroondah to Monash which were then followed by senior doctor roles in various emergency departments of hospitals across NSW. He has also done work with the Australian Defence Forces.
His passion is to work with the human body to try and see how function can be restored by supporting the various systems of the body using lifestyle,diet and nutrition,supplements and botanicals. He leans more towards non drug approaches and is currently in the process of ‘de-prescribing’, unlearning habits formed over the years from prescribing and its related adverse outcomes. Having said this,he does not shy away from using medicines, if required.
Outside of work,he is a family man with 2 children & loves his Christian faith. He loves the great outdoors and enjoys road cycling,running and has been passionately playing soccer for the Victorian Churches Soccer League for the last 10 years.