Creative Careers In Medicine Podcast

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, Dr Elise Putt interviews Dr Jaz Daniells, an inspiring professional with a diverse and multifaceted career journey. Dr Jaz Daniells has not only made significant contributions in medicine but has also pursued her passion for the arts and public health. Dr Daniells is an ACRRM trainee, actor, and yoga teacher, and is now studying acting in France at the École internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq (International Theatre School Jacques Lecoq). She has a Master's in International Public Health from the University of Sydney and completed a Women in Science Leadership Fellowship with Homeward Bound.Dr Daniells has balanced her work in medicine with her creative interests. Working in various roles, including as an Emergency Department Registrar in Alice Springs and as a Palliative Care Registrar in Launceston, Tasmania, where she also engaged in acting and yoga instruction. Dr Daniel’s’ journey into medicine was sparked by her lo

In this episode of Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt sits down with Dr Ashe Coxon, a GP based in Townsville and the founder and director of Medical Career Planning. They delve into crucial aspects of interview and CV preparation for healthcare professionals aiming to advance their careers or transition into new opportunities. Dr Ashe Coxon shares insights on different CV components, such as the appropriate use of high school achievements, the inclusion of references, and the importance of ordering and presenting contact information professionally. Providing advice on crafting a compelling career statement and cover letter, ensuring they are tailored to specific job roles and include relevant skills and experiences.She also discussed CV formatting, including font styles and sizes, the use of colour, and the general order of CV sections. As well as effective techniques for preparing for different types of interview questions, using different frameworks to structure answers. She emphasises

In this episode of Creative Careers in Medicine (CCIM), host Dr Dana Phang is joined by Dr Jason Lam, who shares his compelling career journey from ballet to medicine. Dr Lam discusses his struggles during residency, experiencing isolation and burnout, which led him to take a year off to pursue a Masters in Sports Medicine and a Diploma in Child Health. Initially contemplating a return to plastic surgery, he ultimately chose GP training and focused on sports medicine.Dr Lam speaks about the emotional challenges of transitioning from plastics to GP training, and the process of rediscovering his passion for dance and teaching. His journey included completing essential paediatric/ED terms in Darwin and receiving the prestigious Crichton Dance Medicine Fellowship in Melbourne. This fellowship provided him with invaluable experience and the opportunity to work closely with top professionals, leading to his contribution to a textbook chapter on the foot and ankle.Clinically, Dr Lam practises with a special interest

In this episode of Creative Careers of Medicine Podcast, host Dr Elise Putt engages in a conversation with Dr Hatim Abdulhussein, Chief Executive of Health Innovation in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Dr Abdulhussein discusses his journey from being a GP to leading innovation and technology projects within the NHS. Delving into service automation in healthcare, emphasising the benefits of robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining tasks such as blood test analysis, patient registration, and online consultations. Dr Abdulhussein highlights how using AI for triage in general practices can optimise consultation times and significantly improve patient care.Exploring future technologies, focusing on remote monitoring and P4 medicine: Participatory, Preventative, Personalized, and Predictive. Using continuous blood glucose monitors for diabetes as a prime example of these advancements. He shares insights from the international healthcare scene, noting the innovations in Australia’s

In this episode of Creative Careers in Medicine, host Dr Dana Phang introduces Dr Ushma Narsai, a multi-faceted professional whose career spans across the healthcare landscape in both South Africa and Australia. Dr Narsai shares her journey into medicine, inspired by a pivotal moment in high school when one of her sisters fell seriously ill. Delving into her diverse roles, starting with her medical school experience in South Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand, transitioning into her internship at the largest trauma hospital in the Southern Hemisphere, and her ultimate decision to pursue general practice.Dr Narsai discusses her extensive involvement in clinical trials, beginning as a sub-investigator in South Africa and advancing to the role of principal investigator in Australia. She also elaborates on the terms and roles within the field of clinical trials, offering guidance for those interested in pursuing this path.Dr Narsai also talks about her role as a clinical editor for HealthPathways, and

In this episode of the CCIM podcast, host Dr Elise Putt sits down with Dr Michelle Johnston, an emergency physician at Royal Perth Hospital and a published novelist. Dr Johnston discusses the challenging balance between her clinical role and her passion for writing, emphasising the highly controlled environment of emergency medicine and the struggle to find time to write.Sharing her writing journey, Dr Johnston recounts early failures and rejections, learning from feedback, and progressively improving her craft. She describes the long journey of her first serious work, "Dustfall," detailing the timeline and process of eventual publication in 2018 after numerous rejections.Emphasising the slow, incremental nature of writing progress, Dr Johnston speaks about the significance of patience and focusing on the quality of work over the outcome. She identified herself as a "pantser" who does not outline her plots or characters beforehand, underscores the essential role of feedback and learning in developing writing

In this episode of CCIM, host Dana Phang is joined by Dr Nirvana Luckraj, the current Chief Medical Officer at HealthDirect Australia. Dr Luckraj's career spans multiple continents and diverse medical environments, offering invaluable insights for clinicians seeking new career opportunities.Dr Luckraj began her career as a general practitioner in South Africa during a period of significant political change, gaining extensive experience in diverse medical settings. After medical school, she moved to the UK, where she held various hospital roles before settling as a general practitioner outside London. Her journey then led her to Australia, where she worked as a GP in the Sutherland Shire, and pursued locum positions in remote areas, including with the Royal Flying Doctors Society and Aboriginal medical services in Mount Isa.Her curiosity for non-clinical roles led her to International SOS, where she managed medical assistance for companies and became the medical director for healthcare services for refugees an

In this episode of CCIM, host Elise Putt speaks with Dr Jackie Rabec about her journey from clinical medicine to prominent product roles in HealthTech and beyond. Dr Rabec, originally from South Africa, started her non clinical journey via an MBA at the University of New South Wales' Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), with an international exchange term in New York. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she grappled with an existential crisis and considered returning to clinical work in South Africa, but ultimately forged on to find her niche and zone of impact in the world of tech. Her professional non-clinical journey has included roles in early-stage startups and scale-ups, including but not limited to working as a data & partnerships manager at Prospection and head of product at Heidi Health. Today, Jackie is a product manager at Google on the Payments Identity Team. She discusses the significant adjustment moving from smaller companies to a large corporation such as Google, where the product im

This episode of CCIM Host Dana Phang invites Dr Clare Skinner, an emergency medicine staff specialist and a former hospital director, who was the immediate past president of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. Dr Skinner offers insights into balancing a demanding medical career with family life. Emphasising the importance of strategic decision-making, rather than merely declining opportunities. Dr Skinner shares how an audacious approach has led to positive outcomes, despite the sacrifices and imperfections along the way.Throughout her career, Dr Skinner has experienced gender bias and has navigated the challenges of being a woman in leadership roles. Recounting the assumptions made about her abilities and priorities, particularly during her pregnancy, and discusses the discrepancies in treatment compared to her male counterparts. Dr Skinner underscores the need for women to remain true to themselves in leadership roles, avoiding the adoption of aggressive male leadership styles.They engage in a c

In this episode of CCIM, host Dr Elise Putt sits down with Dr Bethan Richards, the first Chief Medical Wellness Officer for the Sydney Local Health District. They delve into the pioneering efforts by Dr Richards and her team to address the well-being of medical trainees and the systemic changes needed in the healthcare system. Noticing concerns about distress and burnout amongst junior doctors, Dr Richards led the implementation of a pilot program that included workshops on performance under pressure, physical well-being activities like boxercise and yoga, mindfulness training, and workshops on breaking bad news. The initiative showed promising results which garnered support and funding from the Ministry of Health.With a diverse background, Dr Richards is a clinician, researcher, and lecturer. She co-directs the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, which boasts 75 researchers, over $60 million in grants, and approximately 300 publications per year. Initially resistant to a career in medicine, inspired by her

Welcome to a new season of Creative Careers in Medicine (CCIM) podcast! In this episode, Dr Dana Phang interviews Dr Michael Wright, a second-generation General Practitioner (GP) and health economist. He shares insights from his diverse career, which includes research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, and his current role as Chief Medical Officer at Avant Mutual.Dr Wright describes how his upbringing in a family with a home-based GP surgery inspired him to pursue a career in general practice. Sharing his journey through various medical disciplines during his training, revealing how his experiences in dermatology and psychiatry ultimately reinforced his commitment to general practice. His decade-long practice alongside his father and the evolution of their solo practice into a medical centre.They also discussed Dr Wright's extensive involvement with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. As Deputy Chair of the NSW/ACT Faculty

In this episode of Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt engages in an enlightening conversation with Dr Anni Mekhail, an intensive care doctor turned Google product manager. Dr Mekhail has an impressive background, having been a founding member of two successful bootstrapped health tech startups and co-authoring medical textbooks and articles in medical journals. She initially trained in New Zealand, then moved to the UK to work in the NHS, and now resides in Australia.Dr Mekhail discusses her current role at Google, where she is a product manager on the identity team, working on big data platforms to determine user identities online. She explains the complexity and responsibility involved in ensuring secure and user-friendly verification processes. Also sharing her journey from clinical medicine to tech, detailing how her interest in the more data-driven parts of medicine and personal experiences guided her career shift. She talks about her various roles, including working in intensive ca

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt is joined by Dr Izzy Bigio, a New Zealand-trained doctor currently working in operations and community at Lyrebird AI. Dr Bigio shares her compelling journey from deciding to leave clinical medicine to finding her niche in the startup world. Her story begins around two years ago when she posted about her career concerns on the Creative Careers in Medicine Facebook page. From there, she started her own newsletter, Bootstrapped NZ, focusing on the New Zealand startup scene, before eventually landing her role at Lyrebird AI.Dr Bigio tells the transition from her teenage years, when she first aspired to study medicine, to her realisation midway through her clinical training that she wished to pursue a different career path. In her operations and community role at Lyrebird AI, she focuses on creating internal structures and interfacing with the clinical community, aiming to reduce non-patient-facing work for clinicians. Despite the cha

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt speaks with Dr Zach Tan, a prominent figure working at the intersection of technology, venture capital, and healthcare. Dr Tan splits his professional time between Australia and New York, holding significant roles such as General Partner at Aegis Ventures and President of the health tech startup Optain Health. Additionally, he serves on the US board of the Fred Hollows Foundation and engages in academic and consulting work.Dr Tan begins by sharing his journey into medicine, driven by a lifelong interest in science and an upbringing in a healthcare-oriented family. He describes his clinical years, beginning with his undergraduate medical education at the University of Queensland and subsequent placements in hospitals in Brisbane and Sydney. Dr Tan identified significant inefficiencies and administrative burdens in the healthcare system, prompting his interest in technology's potential to improve clinical workflows.Dr Tan’s acciden

In this episode of Creative Careers in Medicine, host Dr Dana Phang is joined by Dr Adaira Landry and Dr Resa E Lewiss, co-authors of the insightful book “Microskills.” Dr Landry's passion for medicine was ignited at a young age by her interest in science and maths and her desire to help sick individuals. Dr Lewiss, who always aspired to be a doctor, confirmed her career choice through her experiences in emergency departments, feeling at home among fellow physicians.Dr Landry has been an emergency physician for nine years, during which she has experienced both the rewarding and challenging aspects of clinical work, including the impact of burnout. Similarly, Dr Lewiss found her medical school and training years overwhelming, often feeling without a clear "playbook" for her career, which also led her to address the issue of burnout. Their shared experiences and challenges inspired them to write “Microskills,” drawing from their professional journeys to offer practical advice and support to others in the medica

In this episode of CCIM host Dr Dana Phang featuring Dr Sally Phillips, delves into the crucial role of medical capability within insurance companies, particularly in life insurance and workers’ compensation spaces. Dr Phillips, head of Zurich Medical Analytics, brings her extensive experience as a clinician and her unique insight into the importance of properly understanding and pricing medical risk to stabilise premiums and prevent excessive claims. She underscores the significance of up-to-date product definitions and building strong relationships with doctors to better comprehend treatment protocols.Dr Phillips explains that there is no dedicated degree for insurance medicine and encourages doctors interested in this field to explore opportunities within insurance companies. She shares her exceptional journey from South Africa to Australia, highlighting her work with various insurance companies and her pioneering efforts in developing severity-based insurance products.Discussing the vital role of incentiv

In this episode of the CCIM podcast, host Dr Dana Phang is joined by Dr Melanie Mapleson, a general practitioner who has transitioned to specialising in perinatal care and breastfeeding medicine. Dr Mapleson discusses her journey from general practice to her current focus, driven largely by her personal experiences with breastfeeding challenges. She provides insight into the slow medicine approach she adopts to address newborn concerns, pain, and parenting challenges. Dr Mapleson advocates for greater recognition and training in breastfeeding and lactation medicine.Dr Mapleson's career path started in more generalised medical practice but shifted due to burnout exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, handling high patient loads that involved mental health, women’s health, chronic diseases, and complicated cases. Her transition into her current specialty reflects a broader narrative of medical professionals moving into niche areas to address specific community needs. She emphasises the importance of extended

In this episode of CCIM, host Dr Dana Phang welcomes Dr Emily Kirkpatrick, who shares her expansive career journey from a general practitioner to her current role as an executive in the health sector. Dr Kirkpatrick’s career is marked by a series of strategic shifts and advancements, initially sparked during her time away on maternity leave when she delved into research in skin cancer prevention. This set the stage for her further engagement in significant advisory and advocacy roles which played a crucial role in her being called upon for South Australia's COVID-19 response efforts, subsequently leading to her appointment as Deputy Chief Health Officer.Dr Kirkpatrick discusses her challenges and strategies in juggling part-time general practice with responsibilities in machine learning and her eventual roles in healthcare leadership. Despite the pressures and demands of her high-stakes positions, she emphasises the critical importance of work-life balance, strategic delegation, and the investment in personal

In this episode of the CCIM podcast, host Dr Elise Putt chats with Dr Shewit Belay, a multifaceted professional who seamlessly transitions between her careers as a medical doctor and a musical theatre performer. Dr Belay shares her journey from medical school to the stage, the challenges of balancing clinical practice with performing arts, and her aspirations in both domains.Dr Shewit Belay is a PGY-4 medical professional who uniquely combines her clinical responsibilities with her passion for the performing arts. She initially made her stage debut in 'Hamilton,' and currently stars as Nessa Rose in 'Wicked'. She provides insights into the demanding yet rewarding world of working full-time in musical theatre, while maintaining her clinical skills through locum positions. She touches upon the balancing act required to manage two intense careers, utilising strategic planning to align her medical commitments with her touring schedule.Furthermore, She discusses her ongoing passion for both her medical and theatri

In this episode of the CCIM podcast, host Dr Elise Putt welcomes Dr Leigh Golding, the team doctor for the Australian Cricket Team, to talk about his fulfilling career in sports medicine. Dr Golding shares how he juggles his duties with the Australian Cricket Team, the NRL Injury Surveillance Bunker, and consulting work at Ortho Sports in Sydney.Dr Golding discusses his academic journey, beginning with his focus on playing sports during medical school, which eventually shifted to a fascination with sports medicine during his tenure as an SRMO. Draws on the unique challenges and opportunities that come with a career in sports medicine, as well as the role's demanding nature and the balance it requires.Dr Golding outlines the rigorous training process, including the necessary qualifications, the comprehensive nature of the training, and tips for aspiring professionals in this field.Listeners will find Dr Golding's experiences with the Australian Cricket Team especially captivating. As he shares anecdotes from h