January 01, 2024

Dr Ben Bravery on a career in zoology, conservation, and the transition to medicine: Creative Careers In Medicine Podcast Take Over Talking HealthTech!

39 minutes

During the holiday season, Pete and the team from Talking HealthTech are taking a well earned break, so while they're away, the hosts of various shows from within the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network are sharing some of their favourite episodes from their own podcasts!

This episode is brought to you by Dr. Elise Putt from Creative Careers In Medicine Podcast.

About the CCIM Podcast

Join Drs Amandeep Hansra, Dana Phang and Elise Putt as they interview the most inspiring and creative minds in medicine!

Learn all about the many exciting directions a medical degree can take you - from performing arts to technology to entrepreneurship and everything in between.

Creative Careers in Medicine is an Australian run community, aiming to equip people with the confidence and skills to forge their own unique and fulfilling career path

About the Episode

In this episode of the Creative Careers in Medicine podcast, Dr Elise Putt speaks with Dr Ben Bravery, where he shares his experiences and insights that will resonate with both healthcare professionals and those with their own lived experience as a patient through the healthcare system.

Ben starts by discussing his observations of the behaviour among junior doctors, senior doctors, and nurses during his time on the wards, which led to him writing articles published in reputable outlets like ABC and The Guardian. As he embarked on his internship in oncology, he reflected on his aspiration to become an oncologist and his evolving understanding of medicine and being a patient.

Drawing from his personal experiences as a patient, Ben shares his struggles to navigate the healthcare system, feeling a lack of agency, and encountering difficulties in understanding technical concepts. These experiences motivated him to address the dissatisfaction felt by both doctors and patients, leading him to write the book "The Patient Doctor" and advocate for a more compassionate and patient-centred approach to healthcare.

During the conversation, Ben opens up about his own health journey, sharing the anxiety he felt before his colonoscopy and the shocking discovery of a large ulcerated lesion. He candidly discusses the challenges and setbacks he faced during his recovery, including feeling miserable and forgotten in the hospital, and the distressing threat of having a tube inserted due to troubles eating.

Transitioning to his career choices, Ben explores his unique path from initially working in a department focused on conservation and animal protection to joining Questacon's science circus, and subsequently becoming a youth ambassador in China. Through these experiences, he developed a strong interest in patient safety, patient advocacy, clinician well-being, system redesign, and quality improvement.

To wrap up the episode, Ben highlights the importance of understanding the individuality and complexity of patients, as well as the need for doctors to prioritise their own well-being. He shares his passion for making a positive impact on people's lives, changing perspectives on illness, and reshaping the healthcare system.

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Website: https://creativecareersinmedicine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeCareersInMed/

The CCIM Podcast is a proud member of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network - the premier audio destination for cutting-edge insights and thought leadership in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Learn more at

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