The life saving heroes of medicine

I saved a life today! Although… I don’t know who it was or how I did it. Maybe it was the routine pap smear that will come back as a high-grade precancerous lesion and be surgically removed before it turns nasty. Maybe it was the pertussis vaccination I gave to a pregnant patient that will … Continue reading →

We GPDU’d. Did you?

GPs Down Under, as an entity, is kind of a hard thing to describe. In it’s most basic form it’s a Facebook group of over five thousand Aussie and Kiwi GPs. Depending on the day, and who you talk to, it’s also a national park, a family, a support group, an educational resource, an advocacy … Continue reading →

#badEMfest18: So BAD it’s good.

It’s been quite a while since a conference blew my mind, and having been to four SMACC conferences, I’ve seen the best of the best. But with #badEMfest18, the team from Brave African Discussions in Emergency Medicine has pulled off a conference so insanely good, it has set a new bar for conferences everywhere. But what, … Continue reading →

Pure Gold – the SMACC Experience

There were fire twirlers and tribal drummers. Confetti rained down on khaki-clad heroes to the rapturous applause of a live audience. No, this wasn’t the epic grand-finale of a reality TV show. It was the opening ceremony of smaccGOLD, setting the scene for a conference unlike any other. SMACC stands for “social media and critical … Continue reading →

The Accidental Writer

On a hot day in February last year, I was sitting in my lounge room having a chinwag and a cuppa with a good friend of mine. I was confessing my anxiety about leaving my familiar life behind to become a nomadic rural locum. At some point in the conversation I said “Hey, I’m thinking about … Continue reading →

Is it time for GP FOAM to come of age?

There’s been a bit of discussion around about the place lately about FOAM and it’s application in general practice. As a concept, FOAM is gaining momentum all the time and is garnering a huge following all around the world. At its core, it’s clinical education by the people, for the people. The beauty of it … Continue reading →

Modern Medical Mentorships

Some months ago, I got an email from a third year medical student asking if I would consider being her mentor for her Personal and Professional Development course for the next three years. She had attended a student obstetrics suturing workshop that I had facilitated and also had read my blog and loved my “passion … Continue reading →

Web Blocking at Work. Is it Compatible with Modern Medical Practice?

I’ll be the first to admit that I am heavily dependent on technology. My smartphone is an extension of my brain and I go into a state of confused panic when the battery goes flat or if I’m in an internet dead zone. My whole life is online; my calendar, to-do list and phone-book are … Continue reading →

Life After Fellowship

Finishing Fellowship training is one of the most exciting times in a doctor’s life. Many of us have spent our entire adult lives on the pathway from first year medical student to medical specialist; for GPs this process takes at least 10-12 years and often much longer. Sure, there are forks in the road along the … Continue reading →