A Doctor's View

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In this episode we look at studying medicine at an international university vs a traditional medical school. I'm joined by Dr Josh Ramjist a graduate from St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada  to talk about these differences as well as offer advice to those looking to study or practice medicine abroad.   

We discuss: 

• Entry criteria. 
• Length of course. 
• Tuition fees. 
• Qualification at the end.   

Working in the US 

• Career path. 
• Specialising. 
• Patient journey in US. 
• Cost of treatment?. 
• What happens if you don’t have insurance?   

As well as comparing and contrasting Josh's experience training and working in different countries and the advice he has for prospective medical students.

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

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For this episode we are joined by a medical colleague in the USA. Dr Philip Ovadia is a board-certified Cardiac Surgeon and founder of Ovadia Heart Health. Once a morbidly obese heart surgeon, struggling to lose weight Dr Ovadia learnt about the importance of metabolic health. This helped him lose over 100 pounds.

Dr Ovadia has since been determined to help patients improve their metabolic health and ultimately teach them new habits which could save their lives.
He has written a book about my metabolic health methods called Stay off My Operating Table: A Heart Surgeon’s Metabolic Health Guide to Lose Weight, Prevent Disease, and Feel Your Best Every Day. Stay Off My Operating Table shares the truth about metabolic health so people struggling with chronic disease, heart problems, and obesity can finally discover what’s been holding them back and keeping them sick.

Together we discuss:

• What is metabolic health and why it is so important.
• Markers for metabolic health.
• Cholesterol (LDL/HDL) and its relevance to diet.
• The principles of metabolic health outside of diet.
• How improving your metabolic health can help you not only lose weight but improve your health.
• And much more...

Dr Ovadia's website: ovadiahearthealth.com

Stay Off My Operating Table (Book by Dr Ovadia):
USA
UK

Stay Off My Operating Table (Apple Podcasts):
Click Here

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

If you have any comments or suggestions, send us a text message!

We are joined once again with our friend Dr Haidar Al-Hakim for a candid discuss. We discuss the evolution of physician psychology within medicine, hierarchies, the importance of change within ourselves to help us become more balanced and content.

Listen to Dr Haidar Al-Hakim's podcast:
Surgical Spirit podcast click here

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

If you have any comments or suggestions, send us a text message!

A discussion with our friends at Doctor’s in Distress; a charity which is dedicated to supporting healthcare workers suffering within the NHS and prevents suicide within the profession. With 3 guest speakers we discuss:

• The consequences of not looking after the mental health of our healthcare workers
  • Increased burnout
  • Healthcare workers leaving the profession 
  • Poor mental health and in some cases suicide amongst all healthcare professionals
  • The current GP crisis
    
    
• The damage of the healthcare workers as heroes narrative
  • Increased pressure on an already burned out and perfectionist workforce
  • Healthcare workers are already reluctant to ask for help – if they’re called heroes/heroines this inhibits this further.

Links:
Doctors in Distress
Permitted to Pause

Bios:

Dr Gavin McColl

Gavin is a trustee of 'Doctors in Distress' a charity that supports healthcare workers and prevents suicide within the profession. He helped establish the 'Primary Care Gambling Service', an integrated counselling service for problem gamblers that also helps to improve recognition and competence in primary care of this emerging public health issue. He is the Clinical Lead for New Cross Health Centre and Sternhall Lane Surgery and is passionate about transforming the patient journey through health services in order to better address the complexity now seen in modern primary care. In 2010 he established the charity 'On Call Africa' with three colleagues and has developed a replicable model that addresses remote health care delivery in Zambia which works to strengthen and augment, rather than replace, the capacity of the existing health services.
 

Miss Samantha Anthony

Samantha is an Associate Specialist in Dermatology at West Herts NHS Trust, principally working as a skin cancer surgeon for the past 14 years and previously as a GP too.  After being diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and when reaching burnout in 2017, she created Permitted To Pause (www.permittedtopause.co.uk and instagram @permittedtopause), to reach out to doctors and healthcare professionals to encourage positive changes to their well-being, and share understanding of why self-care is so often a low priority in the profession, and to help us all to overcome our barriers to this. Samantha has met and collaborated with DiD since 2020, sharing ideas and fund raising, and continues to support all the excellent work that they do.

Brenda Donnelly

Brenda is a CD for South Southwark PCN serving a 145K population. She qualified as an RGN in Belfast in 1983 and has practiced in the UK, The Netherlands and Australia. She landed in primary care in 1994 as a GPN and happily found her niche, she completed a MSc in Primary Care development 2003 and a PGCE in Primary care in 2015. An ex-Nurse partner in South East London she currently enjoys a portfolio career she is particularly interested in community and practice development and working with families and children in deprived areas.   She is passionate about growing and supporting multi professional primary care teams fit for providing future population health. 

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

If you have any comments or suggestions, send us a text message!

In this episode I take a look at imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome leaves you feeling like you don’t deserve your success. You feel as if you have achieved everything through luck, easy obstacles and without merit. This can make you constantly afraid of being ‘found out as a fraud’, prevent you from applying for a better position and constantly belittling your own abilities.

I also discuss the reasons as to why imposter syndrome is affecting more and more people progressing through their academic life as well as why I believe it affects a number of healthcare workers.

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
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I left surgery to pursue a career in anaesthetics or anaesthesiology for our friends in the USA. In this episode aimed at medical students and Foundation Year Doctors I talk about why I left surgery, my general experience when it comes to choosing a specialty and why I think it’s important to take lots of things into consideration before disregarding other specialties.

For the general public, this episode definitely serves a purpose into providing an insight into the different choices a doctor has to make early in their career as well as some of the different roles an anaesthetist has and what they do during an operation.

Linked episode: Professionalism and bullying - my experience
https://www.buzzsprout.com/342848/2975830

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

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From amateur gym goer to winning a professional bodybuilding competition, all on top of being an intensive care nurse. With an inspiring story of how you really can achieve anything you put your mind to, Lauren shares her story as well as providing an insight to the hidden world behind the camera and how social media posts aren’t always what they seem. She also talks of the dangers and misconceptions regarding fad weight loss regimes, insecurities and learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

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Danny Hiles, received a liver transplant which saved his life. He was diagnosed with Wilson's disease which is a rare autoimmune disease. He shares his story about receiving his diagnosis and what it means to be an organ recipient.

Danny's YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7XGBd1JjV7U2ddoGeFooiQ

Danny's Instagram:
https://instagram.com/danny_hiles86?igshid=puzgnurvka08

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

If you have any comments or suggestions, send us a text message!

Join me, Dr Polyvios for an opinionated view on popular health topics and an insight into medical life.   
*Disclaimer* Please note that all opinions and the content of this Podcast represent those of the host and the show's guests. The content of this podcast is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only and should not replace the medical advice given to you by your own GP/doctor. Please ensure you seek medical advice from your own doctor or healthcare professional if you have any concerns regarding your health or have any medical questions. Under no circumstances shall the Podcast's host or guests be responsible for any damages arising from the use of the Podcast.

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios

If you have any comments or suggestions, send us a text message!

How many times have you heard someone complain about a situation and then following with “I just have a hard time saying no.”? Insecurities and anxiety often result in unhappiness and depression, but do we actually recognise this as a reason for why we might be unhappy?
In this episode I look at anxiety and more specifically ‘people-pleaser syndrome’ and how it may manifest in very subtle ways and why this may be the cause of depression as well as explain how many may not even realise they have it.

Thank you for listening!
email: [email protected]
instagram: @adoctorsview
X: @DrPolyvios