Perioperative Profiles is a new series from TopMedTalk which looks at both the professional and personal journey taken by some of the world's most innovative and successful perioperative practitioners and researchers.

In this, the first of the series, Andy Cumpstey interviews Professor Paul Myles, Director of Research in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, and Head of Department at Monash University, Australia.

Recorded during the Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress in London this year, hear how Paul was inspired by his mother with ambitions to become a country GP and then took a trip to the United Kingdom where he was inspired by a new vision; anesthesiologists leading practice changing research.

Paul Myles discusses his early years, his initial medical training at Monash University, and the pivotal experience in the UK that steered him towards anesthesiology. Hear about his transition into research, the challenges he faced, and his significant contributions, including the establishment of multi-center trials and the ANZCA Clinical Trials Network.

The discussion also touches on the balance between career and family, and the future of clinical trials with adaptive designs. The episode underscores the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and persistence in achieving success in medical research.