In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine (CCIM) podcast, the hosts share an inspiring session from the recent CCIM25 conference held in Melbourne, featuring Dr Ruth Mitchell. Dr Mitchell is a pediatric and adult neurosurgeon, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, international public speaker, and prominent advocate in the anti-nuclear movement. She’s a leading voice for diversity and inclusion in surgery and science. 

Reflecting on her advocacy journey, from her early days as a medical student, through her involvement with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), and her role in founding the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was instrumental in securing the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and culminated in being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

She talks about the value of using clinical voices to drive policy and societal change, particularly by telling patients’ stories and bearing witness to the impacts of nuclear weapons. Dr Mitchell also shares her clinical advocacy work in brain tumor research, alongside her fundraising activities for the Children's Cancer Institute.

Reflecting on personal experiences, including the loss of her sister following a complex medical journey, Dr Mitchell offers candid insights on the need for more compassionate and equitable health systems. Emphasising the role clinicians can play in creating positive change in listening to patient needs, challenging systemic shortcomings, and supporting colleagues’ mental health. 

Offering thought-provoking perspectives for clinicians interested in exploring wider career opportunities that combine clinical practice with meaningful advocacy, philanthropy, and leadership.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine (CCIM) podcast, Dr Elise Putt welcomes Dr David Corbet, a rural GP based in Anglesea, Victoria, who also works at Wathaurong Health Service, the Aboriginal Health Service in Geelong. Sharing his multifaceted career in general practice. Along with his enthusiasm for lifelong learning and the diverse opportunities presented by general practice, particularly in rural settings.

Dr Corbet reflects on his career journey prior to medicine. Spending fifteen years as a professional musician and dancer, performing internationally and working within the performing arts at a high level, before transitioning into medicine as a graduate entrant. Describing the motivations behind his career change and the challenges and rewards of returning to science after an established career in the arts.

He is the founder of the Sound Doctor, a not-for-profit music event series bringing acclaimed national and international artists to Anglesea’s town hall for intimate performances. He discusses the inspiration behind the initiative, the challenges of sustaining it within a difficult arts funding landscape, and the impact of arts on individual and community wellbeing.

Giving practical advice for clinicians considering a career change or diversification, and reflections on how skills and interests from outside medicine can enhance clinical practice. Dr Corbet also offers personal advice to medical students and early-career doctors in following their interests, being open to uncertainty, and finding balance in a fulfilling career.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, Dr Amandeep Hansra speaks with Dr MaryAnn Ferreux, a medical leader with extensive experience in both Australia and the UK. Dr Ferreux shares her unique journey from her early days as a generalist doctor in Newcastle, Australia, to her current portfolio career in the UK. Her roles include Chief Medical Officer for Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, NHS non-executive board director positions, public health and policy research, and trustee work at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, with a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Discussing her non-linear path into medicine, which led to her determination to pursue a medical career despite her challenges. Reflecting on her experiences across a variety of clinical specialties and how these varied roles informed her later transition into health system leadership and management. Highlighting her commitment to addressing health inequities, particularly the impact of social determinants of health and how digital transformation in healthcare can sometimes exacerbate these disparities.

The also talked about the differences of the Australian and UK healthcare systems, with Dr Ferreux noting similarities in service delivery and the persistence of challenges such as bias, underrepresentation, and system-wide resistance to large-scale change. They both discuss the global nature of the health workforce movement and the opportunity for sharing insights and innovations across borders, particularly in the digital health sphere.

Gaining practical insights into managing a portfolio career as a clinician, balancing leadership roles, academic pursuits, family, and personal wellbeing. Offering candid reflections and advice for doctors considering alternative or expanded career pathways, and the value of a broad base of experience and the importance of purpose-driven work.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine (CCIM) podcast, Dr Elise Putt speaks with Dr Paul Eleftheriou, Principal Consultant and Co-Lead of Digital Health at Nous Group. Dr Eleftheriou discusses his professional journey, including a period pursuing neurosurgery and a PhD in neuroscience, before transitioning into medical leadership and consulting. 

Explaining the role of a management consultant, particularly within the healthcare sector, and how his work at Nous Group spans project management, strategic planning, policy development, evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and leadership facilitation with organizations across Australia and internationally.

Dr Eleftheriou also shares practical advice for clinicians considering a move towards leadership and consulting, emphasising the value of clinical experience, formal qualification pathways such as RACMA fellowships, and proactive networking with current medical leaders.

Exploring the realities and challenges of transitioning from clinical medicine to consulting, Dr Eleftheriou reflects on the balance of immediate clinical impact versus broader, systemic change, and the need for patience when working within complex healthcare systems. Providing perspective on project choice, ethical alignment, and maintaining job satisfaction in the consulting sector.

Dr Eleftheriou’s experiences underline the breadth of opportunities beyond traditional clinical roles and the ways medical training can translate into effective leadership and consultancy positions.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Elise Putt speaks with Dr Katie Treble, a psychiatry registrar and recently published author. 

Dr Treble discusses her career journey, beginning in the UK and progressing through a variety of roles including emergency medicine in Australia, humanitarian work with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Central African Republic, and her current training in psychiatry. 

Sharing insights on the process of working with MSF, the challenges and requirements, necessary for humanitarian medical work in resource-poor and conflict settings. 

Describing the impacts of her time in Central Africa, including the difficulties of transitioning back to clinical work in Australia and her motivation for documenting these experiences.

They covered Dr Treble’s recently released memoir, "Field Notes from Death’s Door," which recounts her MSF experience and addresses the need to bear witness to humanitarian crises that are often overlooked. Dr Treble explains how and why she shaped her personal reflections and field notes into a published book, as well as the realities of the publishing process. She also touches on her ongoing interest in research, having spent time working in the Clinical Psychedelic Lab at Monash University. 

Dr Treble reflects on the value of having a diverse and non-linear career path in medicine, the broader context of global healthcare inequities, and the importance of pursuing meaningful work beyond traditional professional trajectories.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Adam Rushford speaks to Dr Max Rath, a specialist physician trained in South Africa who has since become a prominent figure in the digital health and medtech space. Discussing his journey from clinical medicine, to completing an MBA at Oxford and into his current role as Chief Medical Officer of a medtech startup, AI Diagnostics.

Sharing insights into the South African healthcare system which drove him to solve deep-seated problems and innovate. Providing an overview of the AI-powered digital stethoscope his company has developed, which enables affordable, effective tuberculosis (TB) screening, which is especially vital in resource-constrained, high-burden settings. The device’s use of advanced sound analysis represents a significant step forward in expanding access to care in developing countries.

They ecplore the regulatory, financial, and practical challenges involved in bringing digital health technologies to market, particularly the significant capital requirements and the need for global awareness around TB. Dr Rath emphasises the importance of validating AI models across diverse populations and engaging key stakeholders in global health to ensure broad adoption and impact.

Offering candid reflections on making the transition from bedside care to systems-level problem solving, while maintaining clinical ties to ensure relevance and patient focus.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Adam Rushford is joined by Dr Sibhi Raja, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Whittington Hospital in London. Dr Raja shares his career journey, beginning with his early exposure to medicine as part of a medical family and his initial interests in the humanities. Discussing his formative experiences which inspired his interest in gastroenterology and hepatology, particularly where medical science intersects with social and socioeconomic issues.

Dr Raja reflects on his unique path between the UK and Australia, noting how working in different healthcare systems, especially his training and fellowship work in Adelaide and at St Mark’s Hospital in London, has shaped his adaptability and broadened his clinical perspective. 

Expanding into Dr Raja’s observations around systemic gaps in the care of chronic gastrointestinal conditions, notably irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Drawing from his research and clinical work, he identifies the limitations of current pathways in managing IBS, both from patient and healthcare system perspectives. These have led Dr Raja to explore digital health solutions, to which created his holistic digital therapeutic app, Ahara. The app aims to deliver evidence-based, multidisciplinary care in a format that is accessible to patients, utilising an integrated approach which covers education, diagnosis, and a spectrum of therapies. Dr Raja emphasises the importance of translating clinical guidelines and evidence into digital tools that genuinely improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Dr Raja shares his interests outside medicine, noting how a passion for history and storytelling helps both his holistic approach to patient care and his vision for digital health innovation. 

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

Welcome to a new season of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast! 

In this episode, Dr Elise Putt is joined by Dr Alex Cameron, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Adelaide, South Australia. He is also a songwriter, musician, and guitarist for the band Bad Dreams. In addition to his clinical and musical pursuits, Dr Cameron founded the record label Endless Recordings, which supports emerging artists. 

They explore his unique combination of a medical and music career, detailing how Dr Cameron balances a full-time role as a surgeon with his ongoing commitments to his band and record label. Over the past 15 years, he has maintained a full-time clinical workload while actively writing, recording, performing music, and even touring particularly within Australia.

Dr Cameron discusses the realities of balancing dual careers, the importance of having interests and experiences outside of medicine, and ways in which diverse experiences can enhance a clinician's ability to connect with patients and colleagues. Providing insights into the nature of plastic surgery training, the sacrifices involved in combining clinical and creative work, and the supportive and sometimes challenging responses from mentors and colleagues in both fields. 

They also discussed Dr Cameron's record label Endless Recordings and his passion for supporting fellow musicians, as well as his reflections on alternative career paths he might have pursued such as documentary filmmaking. Throughout the episode, Dr Cameron emphasises the value of multidisciplinary experiences in fostering both personal fulfillment and professional excellence in medicine.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this season finale of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt sits down with Dr George Eskander, Executive Director of Clinical Performance and Transformation at WA Health. Dr Eskander brings a wealth of experience, having held numerous leadership roles both in Western Australia and previously in the UK. As well as being an executive, Dr Eskander continues to work as a GP proceduralist and is the founder of Past GP, an educational resource supporting GP registrars through their exams.

Beginning with Dr Eskander’s journey into medicine, his early aspirations to become a pilot and his eventual training as a doctor influenced by family tradition. 

His work as a change-maker in clinical leadership, particularly his role in the development and implementation of the JMO Manifesto at Sir Charles Gairdner (Charlie’s) Hospital in Perth. Exploring how this initiative addressed some of the key challenges facing junior doctors, such as leave entitlements, flexible part-time work, and workplace wellbeing. 

Delving into Dr Eskander’s entry into medical leadership, his advice for clinicians who wish to contribute to leadership regardless of their current level of experience. Which were developing skills in advocacy, the importance of listening, kindness, and self-confidence in leadership roles, as well as practical advice for managing common workplace issues such as underperformance and bullying.

Dr Eskander discusses the origins of his start-up, Pass GP, which was created in response to the challenges faced by GP registrars sitting their fellowship exams, with particular awareness of the difficulties experienced by IMGs and the broader consequences of persistent exam failure.

Dr Eskander’s story offers practical guidance and inspiration for clinicians interested in medical leadership and innovation, and shows how positive workplace culture and new career opportunities in medicine can be developed through advocacy, responsiveness, and care for colleagues.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, host Dr Elise Putt speaks with Dr Darren Ng, a phlebologist and cosmetic physician based in Adelaide. They reflect on his unique journey of combining nearly two decades in medicine with a decade-long professional basketball career in the Australian National Basketball League, most notably with the Adelaide 36ers. How he managed to balance medical training and professional sport, sharing insights into the challenges and rewards of pursuing dual careers.

Dr Ng explains his progression from medical school and junior doctor years to working as a GP, and subsequently moving into the field of phlebology and cosmetic medicine. He describes phlebology as the branch of medicine focused on vein health. Dr Ng talks about the Australasian College of Phlebology training and the opportunities for clinicians from varied backgrounds to enter this niche specialty.

They touched on Dr Ng’s experience in entrepreneurial ventures, including clinical practice ownership and managing business operations, complemented by ongoing clinical trial involvement and mentoring roles. Candidly discussing his transitioning out of professional sport due to burnout, the pivotal decision points in his career, and the value of flexibility and self-reflection throughout his journey.

Dr Ng’s story offers practical advice about work-life balance, choosing specialties compatible with personal interests, and the importance of taking time to enjoy and explore opportunities as they go.

To get more CCIM, subscribe so you never miss an episode, join our Facebook community and subscribe to our newsletter!

CCIM Website

CCIM Facebook

The CCIM Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, offering the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, and more. Discover the network at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.