WANGARATTA surgeon Peter Thomas will enjoy the latest in a series of farewells this evening, as he moves towards his retirement next month.

Together with orthopaedic surgeon Michael Falkenberg, Mr Thomas will mark his retirement from the Wangaratta Private Hospital with a function at the Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway; Mr Falkenberg, while retiring from the private hospital, will continue to work at Northeast Health Wangaratta.

For 64-year-old Mr Thomas, tonight's celebration will be another occasion to reflect on a 29-year career as a general surgeon in the rural city, which evolved from his recognition as a youngster that working in medicine offered the chance for "a life well lived".

"I wanted to be a doctor even when I was a kid; I could see that they made an important contribution to the community," he said.

Originally from Sea Lake, in the Mallee district, Mr Thomas moved with his family to the Bellarine Peninsula, and is proud to say he was the first student from Newcomb High School to become a doctor.

"I had the drive, and I was determined; I enjoyed the challenge," he said.

"Initially I was planning to be a country GP, but I did my internship in Geelong, and on rotation worked with a guy called Bob Waterhouse, who was a really gifted surgeon, and I developed a love of surgery.

"As a kid, I wasn't a handyman, but I liked the fact that (as a surgeon) you could get in and fix things straight away; I liked the decisive nature of the specialty."

Mr Thomas worked at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, then spent four years in Britain (he is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh) before returning to the Austin.

He boosted his surgery training in readiness to take up a position at Bob Fraser's Docker Street consulting rooms, and relocated to Wangaratta in 1995.

In addition to working at Wangaratta's private and public hospitals, Mr Thomas also provided outreach services to Benalla until recently, to Mansfield for about 17 years, and to Myrtleford for seven years.

"The bit I've enjoyed most about my practice has been the interaction with people," he said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his retirement, as all health professionals put their shoulders to the wheel during uncertain times, he is now ready to settle into retirement and experience life without on-call responsibilities.

"I think it's the right time to go, because we have a great workforce in place, and two great hospitals in town," he said.

"People keep telling me I'm going to miss it, but the last thing you want to do is be past your peak."

While his role has covered the breadth of surgery, Mr Thomas said he had always had an interest in breast cancer surgery, and had seen significant change over recent decades.

"Thirty years ago, everyone got the same treatment, and there was no allowance for the differences of the disease; now, we treat each patient differently," he said.

"It's very mentally stimulating ensuring the best management of care for each person."

Along with increasing knowledge and treatment, he said the growth in the role of breast care nurses had added a vital element to the care of local patients.

A Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Mr Thomas enjoys sharing his skills with young trainees, and has taught on about 65 three-day courses over 23 years; he is director of a course focusing on care of the critically ill surgical patient.

He said the exchange of knowledge moved both ways, as he also enjoyed adding to his skillset while working with trainees who visited Wangaratta.

"Even our trainees who don't settle here become great contacts, because they know you and know that when you ask for advice, it's a genuine need; the head of surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital was a trainee here 25 years ago," he said.

"Wangaratta is one of the most popular rotations with trainees, because of the experience it offers.

"We have a really robust health service here, and bat well above our average because of the teamwork and affinity (among local health professionals)."

Now, as he prepares for his work life to wind down in late May, Mr Thomas has plenty of interests to pursue.

First, there will be a European holiday with partner Sherril, as well as more time to spend with his children and grandchildren, and on his nine acre property at Wangandary.

Then there's his passion for collecting antiques - most associated with Australia's involvement in World War 1 - and a more recent involvement in long-distance target shooting with Wangaratta Rifle Club.

Mr Thomas said he felt that that young Sea Lake boy would be pleased with the career he had carved out.

"I've enjoyed the work, and I've worked hard," he said.

"As a surgeon, you've got to be able to communicate, to work in a team, have tactile skills, respect the fragility of human tissue, and also have the confidence and courage to act, and the knowledge to know when to act.

"In a lot of cases, you're doing a small harm for the greater good - and always trying to do the best for that person."