In this episode Prof Jamie Cooper from the Alfred Hospital and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia describes how purposeful management of our own careers is vital for longevity in the field, how research has helped him be a better clinician and some of the habits he thinks are important to having a good life at work and at home.

Jamie discusses topics such as: why he the immediacy in ICU made it interesting to him; how as a trainee his older colleagues were warning him about burnout; how the size of ICUs has changed over his career; how the gender imbalance has not; how combining research with clinical medicine has increased his career longevity; how if everyone in a department helps each other, the place will be happier; how ICUs can become too large for a single department head; how caring for multiple patient types extends our career; how building too many things into our lives especially at work is a big risk; how preserving evenings and weekends for family is a must; the importance of regular exercise, especially with groups; how important sleep including naps has been to him; the benefits of bringing reading back into his life; the value of communication, especially with visiting surgeons, where conflict may arise; how the use of text messages can be very helpful and when it is not. The interview concludes with some advice from Jamie for younger intensivists about how they should be alert and aware to prevent potential troubles in their careers. Jamie has had a hugely successful academic career, however quite rightly he hopes to be thought more of for his excellence as a clinician, something he certainly is.

This podcast was created to help and inspire intensive care clinicians to improve the care we give to our patients by providing interesting and thought-provoking conversations with highly respected and experienced clinicians. In each episode, Andrew Davies, an intensivist in Melbourne, Australia, speaks with a guest for the purpose of hearing their perspectives on the habits and behaviours that they believe are the most important for improving the outcomes of our patients. Things like bringing our best selves to work each day, optimal communication, coping with stress and preventing burn out, working well in a team, and interacting with patient’s families and the many other health professionals we deal with on a daily basis. The podcast is less about the drugs, devices and procedures that can be administered and more about the habits, behaviours and philosophies that can help intensive care clinicians to master the craft of intensive care.