Cat Malik is a post-CCT trauma and orthopaedics fellow specialising in foot, ankle, and lower limb surgery. In this episode of Dokkcast, host Professor Nara Daubeney speaks with her about what it genuinely takes to build a surgical career — and how to sustain one alongside family life.

Cat traces her journey from medical school through surgical training, sharing candid insights into orthopaedic culture, the stereotypes that still surround the specialty, and the very real challenges women continue to face in surgery. A particularly compelling thread is her experience raising three children while progressing through a demanding training pathway, with practical advice for doctors navigating the same tension between career and family.

The conversation also looks outward at broader shifts in healthcare — the role of social media in spreading both useful information and misinformation, how doctors engage with these platforms professionally, and what AI means for the future of medical knowledge and patient trust.

A frank and wide-ranging episode for anyone considering a surgical career, or interested in the evolving culture of medicine.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Hesham Saleh is a leading London-based consultant rhinologist and facial plastic surgeon, practising at Charing Cross Hospital and the Harley ENT Practice. He specialises in rhinoplasty, sinus surgery, rhinology, skull-base surgery, and orbital/lacrimal surgery.

He holds FRCS (ENT) and FRCS (ORL-HNS) qualifications, has been named in The Times' top 140 doctors and top 50 surgeons lists, and serves as Professor of Practice in Rhinology at Imperial College. He is past president of the Laryngology and Rhinology section of the Royal Society of Medicine.

His research focuses on rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, skull-base pathology, and nasal deformities, including leading multicentre trials on olfactory damage and antibiotic-resistant sinus bacteria.

The podcast episode covers his career journey, the evolution of ENT training, the complexity of sinus and endoscopic surgery, and — as its central theme — the influence of social media on cosmetic surgery, particularly how platforms like Instagram and TikTok spread unrealistic beauty standards and misinformation among young patients, and the need for better medical education to counter this.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Mike Rigby is one of the most influential figures in paediatric cardiology, with a career spanning over four decades. In this conversation with Nara, he reflects on the sweeping transformation of children's heart care — from an era of limited diagnostics and high-risk surgery to today's advanced imaging, interventional techniques, and dramatically improved survival rates.

Drawing on his experience at the Royal Brompton Hospital, he discusses pioneering procedures, the rise of echocardiography, and the ongoing debate between intervention and surgery in congenital heart disease. He also speaks to the deeply human side of medicine: communicating with anxious families, the passion behind teaching, and the privilege of mentoring cardiologists from around the world.

The episode closes with reflections on legacy, the role of genetics in the field's future, and what a life in medicine ultimately means.

Aimed at clinicians, trainees, and students, it serves as both a history of paediatric cardiology and a guide to its future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.