"As long as the sky exists, as long as there are sentient beings, may I remain to help and relieve them of their suffering."

Dr Tony Fernando is a psychiatrist and researcher in Auckland, New Zealand. He obtained his medical degree from the University of the Philippines and his internship at St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital (Columbia University) in New York. Tony’s research interest is in sleep medicine and medical compassion. He plays the cello, is a cheap-eats foodie and despite his fear of the water, has swum across the Auckland Harbour and competes in ocean races and triathlons. In January of 2017, he received temporary ordination as a Buddhist monk in Chanmyay Myaing monastery in Myanmar. He completed his PhD at the University of Auckland, studying barriers to compassion in medicine. More recently, he started a weekly mindfulness and emotional balance programme for inmates at Mt Eden Correctional Facility in Auckland. This is Part 1 of my conversation with Tony.

Time Stamps:

3.06 Tell us a little bit about yourself, your life, your work.

6.11 Tell us more about your interest in Buddhist philosophy.

11.45 What did you notice was the interface between Buddhism and psychiatry?

19.59 Having daily reminders to prompt mindfulness and compassion.

20.38 As long as the sky exists, as long as there are sentient beings, may I remain to help and relieve them of their suffering.

25.16 How are loving-kindness and compassion meditations similar or different?

Publications:

Beyond Compassion Fatigue: The Transactional Model of Physician Compassion. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885392413006179

Barriers to Medical Compassion as a Function of Experience and Specialization: Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and General Practice. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885392416312209

How Do Health Professionals Maintain Compassion Over Time? Insights From a Study of Compassion in Health. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.564554/full?utm_source=researcher_app&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=RESR_MRKT_Researcher_inbound

Self-compassion as a Stress Moderator: A Cross-sectional Study of 1700 Doctors, Nurses, and Medical Students. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-020-01325-6