In the town of Gunnedah, in north-western NSW, there is no greater equaliser than the grey mat at the local Brazilian jiu-jitsu club.
Behind a real estate agent office, in a repurposed yoga studio, students of the martial art watch as their instructor demonstrates how to choke, grapple, and roll on the mat.
It's a scene far removed from Marcelo Wierzynski de Oliveira's day job as one of the town's newest GPs.
A country practice
For the former Brazilian Air Force major, his path from southern Brazil to the New England North West was due to a critical shortage of GPs in the town.
A qualified ear, nose and throat surgeon in his home country, Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira's move to regional Australia was a tale of fate and luck.
His brother, a mining industry geologist living in Gunnedah, had a chance meeting with his next door neighbour, Dr Robert Parsons of Gunnedah's Barber Street Medical Practice.
Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira saw his chance when his brother told him Dr Parsons was contemplating retirement.
He became one of four doctors brought to the region through grant funding from the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network.
After rounds of tests and applications, he arrived in town in January to find a culture far removed from his native Brazil.
Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira saw a land of wide open spaces, and a much quieter culture than his homeland.
"Brazil is a social country. The culture is different here. People wake up early to go to the mines and the farms," he said.
Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira says he's seen a critical need for more health services in the region.
"I can see people here really need new doctors. They're struggling to find doctors here," he said.
After settling into life in Gunnedah, the next step was to find a return to his former passion for martial arts.
Having started training Brazilian jiu-jjtsu in 2008, Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira has reached the rank of brown belt, only second to the ultimate black.
"I found an announcement on Facebook about a group that was about to start [in Gunnedah]. And they're these wonderful guys from the mines, massive ones," he said.
"So I started to train together with them, and the rest is history."
Strength to strength
Owner and head coach at Gunnedah Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Scott Mackenzie, said while it had been wonderful to have Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira's experience in the sport, his medical expertise filled a large gap in the town's services.
"We moved back here in March of last year, and there were only one or two doctors in town with full books," he said.
"Having another GP come to town, it's just a bit of a bonus he's a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt."
With a strong presence of miners and shift workers, Dr Wierzynski de Oliveira sees the weekly grappling as a chance to clear the mind and connect with others.
"I believe sociability is really important. Sociability and friendships increase your life span," he said.
"Lonely people die earlier."
While his contract requires him to spend another two years in Gunnedah, the doctor sees a bright future for himself and his grappling compatriots after being embraced by the town.
"I believe that warm welcome would be with anybody. They are friendly with every foreigner that comes," he said.
