At 91, Dr John Gault still plays in the orchestra: 'a tremendous privilege'

"A good doctor has to be somewhat obsessional and a good musician has to be somewhat obsessional," the 91-year-old said.

Those obsessions have seen Dr Gault awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his contributions to Bendigo.

For 50 years, he was a cardiac physician at Bendigo Health where he also served as chief cardiologist.

He served as chair of the medical advisory committee at St John of God Bendigo Hospital from 1998 to 2008 and operated a private practice on View Street.

He was also a founding member of the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra, where he still plays the violin and viola.

"I'm now 91 and I retired [from medicine] about the age of 80, and this gave me more time for my music," he said.

"It's still a tremendous privilege to play.

"I used to lead the viola section. Now I play in the back row of the viola section, so that's a very good place for me; I like being there and not having the responsibility."

Dr Gault said he plays the violin every day, from morning to lunch time.

The Bendigo Symphony Orchestra has featured many medical professionals, which Dr Gault put down to the "obsessive" nature of both industries.

"To do medicine you have to be somewhat obsessive and work hard. It's a difficult degree to obtain ... it's six years," he said.

"And in order to play music, you have to keep rehearsing and practising to keep your fingers moving."

Dr Gault has also been a member of the Australian Doctors Orchestra, a benefactor of the Ulumbarra Foundation and a life member and benefactor of the Bendigo Art Gallery.

In his professional life, Dr Gault said his key interest was electrocardiograms (ECGs), which he helped introduce to the Bendigo Hospital.

"I loved looking at all those little squiggles in the ECGs," he said.

Dr Gault has left a legacy of medical advancements in Bendigo, a legacy recognised in the Monash Rural Health School's Dr John Gault Award given to the most outstanding third-year medical student.

He said when he spoke to students, he would always remind them that he always found medicine fun.

"They all talk about dedication ... and I've not been afraid of hard work, but I've always enjoyed it," Dr Gault said.

"If they could find the pleasure in their work, well that's a great inspiration."