We loved having the endlessly impressive Dr Lily Vrtik on the podcast: A Plastic Surgeon, a Legal advisor, an educator and a member of the Orchestra!

Lily is a specialist plastic surgeon who runs a busy private practice based in Brisbane’s northside but also holds a public position at Princess Alexandra Hospital. Clinically, Lily subspecialises in breast surgery and cancer reconstructive surgery. 

Lily has special interest in the medicolegal area which saw her complete her Law Masters in Health Law at the University of Sydney with a special interest in Bioethics, Medical Marketing and Health Profession Regulations. Through this work, Lily advocates for safety in surgery, in particular, cosmetic plastic surgery.

Lily has just stepped in the role of president of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, is passionate about medical education and has founded Classroom4Doctors, with the aim to improve collegiality between community and hospital specialists. 

Lily is active in governance, having been involved in the formation of a trainee committee at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2004, involvement in several hospital committees and has been a manager for the Queensland Medical Orchestra for over 13 years.

What a sparkly, incredible woman Dr Lily Vrtik is!

In this episode, we meet the incredible Professor John Fraser and talk to him about his's life's work in Healthcare, Research and Innovation. 

John is often labelled the Willy Wonka of the Ward because of his energy and enthusiasm for ALLLL the things, and describes Medicine is a privilege and Research as a true honour.

John is the Founder and Director of the Critical Care Research Group, the Director of the Intensive Care Unit at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital and the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of De Motu Cordis Pty Ltd.

John has five professorships across major Australian universities; has published over 650 peer-reviewed publications; and has received more than AUD 91 million in competitive grants. Some of John's coolest work is that of an artificial heart and an inhaled adrenaline device for use in severe allergy, anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest.

Away from his work in critical care medicine, innovation and research, He is the proud father of five great children: Ben, Dominic, Nicholas, Lucy, and Tommy.
Jess who seem to keep him very grounded about his life's work.

We loved having John on Humans in Health.

Christian Nduwimana was born in Burundi Africa, which is the poorest country in the world. 

Growing up in a nation ravaged by civil wars, Christian learned firsthand the concept of UBUNTU, which means "I am because you are." After witnessing and speaking out against horrific scenes of extrajudicial killings, Christian became a target of the Burundian regime and was forced to flee. He spent several years in a refugee camp in Uganda. In 2018, Christian was granted a humanitarian visa to come to Australia. 

Since being in Australia, Christian completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Hons), and worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Queensland

Having experienced the hardships and trauma associated with displacement and difficult living conditions, Christian recognized the urgent need for mental health support among refugee populations. This led him to co-found the Mental Health Taskforce to address the devastating effects of untreated mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, on individuals and their families. 

We loved havıng Chrıstıan on the podcast and finished the conversation feelıng ınspıred and amazed at yet another Human ın Health.

Dr Stephen Kodovaru is an Orthopaedic Surgeon currently completing an Orthopaedic fellowship at Queensland Childrens Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Stephen is from the Solomon Islands and was the first graduate of the Pacific Islands Orthopaedic Association training program, which he finished in 2018. 

Stephen was introduced to us as "An orthopaedic surgeon from the Solomon Islands and outstanding human" and after meeting Stephen, we'd also add: calm, gentle and humble, among other things.

Back in the Solomon Islands, Stephen works out of the Orthopaedic Department, National Referral Hospital in Honiara and has done since 2010 after completing his Bachelor of Medicine at the Fiji school of Medicine. We loved hearing about Stephen's experiences living and working in the Solomon Islands, his training as an Orthopod and his time in Australia where things are very different to back home. Stephen is married with 3 daughters and a son and shared with us the importance of family.

We loved meeting Stephen and hope you do too!

Dr Tiba Alhilal is an International Medical Graduate from Iraq currently living in Australia and searching for a role as a Doctor. 

Tiba bravely shred her journey so far: since fleeing Iraq when ISIS attacked her city in 2014, finishing her Internship in Baghdad,  living and working in Amman and Jordan for 6 years and then moving to Australia. 

Tiba shared her passion for Medicine, and frustrations faced as an International Medical Graduate trying to secure a job in Australia. She is bright, energetic and magnetic and it was a pleasure to hear her story.

What a pleasure to interview Xander Van Der Poll. Xander is a South African born, 24 year old medical student studying at Bristol University in the UK. In May 2018, Xander suffered a life-changing injury, leaving him paralysed from his waist down and reliant on a wheelchair for mobility. Despite his new challenges, he has continued with his career in medicine, having recently completed a placement in the Emergency Department at Gold Coast University Hospital. 

 Xander is also a keen athlete, currently training on the GB sprint canoe paralympic pathway. Outside of his work life, Xander and his fiancé love adventure and have just got back from a three-month trip around South Africa and Australia. 

 You can find out more about their journey on Instagram on @ourchaoticadventure

It was a pleasure to have Dr Bec Jenkinson on the podcast who is a maternity consumer advocate and researcher. After more than 10 years of volunteer work as a maternity consumer rep, Bec completed a PhD exploring refusal of recommended maternity care. She went on to co-lead the development of Queensland Health’s Guideline for partnering with the woman who declines recommended maternity care. 

Bec shared with us her personal journey as a consumer of obstetric and midwifery care: an experience many of our listeners will resonate with in some way, shape or form. We also heard of Bec's journey to find where she fits which has found her currently in her first "real research job" as a Qualitative Research Fellow with the Australian Women and Girls Health Research Centre at UQ. Bec provides clarity around how we can best have consumers as part of our conversations: an important viewpoint we must always seek to hear.

Dr Gerben Keijzers is adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine. His research revolves around topics relevant to clinical practice in critical care, with special interest in sepsis, appropriateness of antibiotic use and respiratory medicine. 

We loved chatting with Gerben about what makes him so curious and how this has led to a research career testing how less can be more. Gerben explains what is behind his perceived direct feedback style.

Importantly, we also heard what makes Gerben tick, such as his love of his dogs and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Gerben explains how being an "Emergency Medicine" Doctor is the last thing he would introduce himself as.

An inspiring, curious and honest conversation, we hope you enjoy.

Books mentioned: 
 - Drive by Dan Pink
 - Bounce by Matthew Syed
 - The Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulisch

Professor Ian Coombes and Doctor Judith Coombes are a Pharmacist Dream team from Brisbane, Queensland.

With professional career’s full of leadership, education and research and Personal lives filled to the brim with family, friends and adventure, it is Ian and Judith's long ties with Sri Lanka that we loved hearing about during this conversation.

Judith and Ian have worked tirelessly (and joyfully) over the last 15 years to build capacity within the Sri Lankan health care system: through education and research. These experiences are a true reflection on their passion for Pharmacy and Life. It's impossible not to be inspired and uplifted by their approach to moving their family to Sri Lanka whilst on long service leave and all the places that initial visit has taken them over the years.

We hope you enjoy hearing their story.