The EYFDM Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Michael Blackmore shares his deeply personal experience of developing a drug addiction during medical school and postgraduate training. He speaks openly about how his substance use developed, the impact it had on his personal and professional life, and some of the pressures within medicine that contributed to his struggles.

Michael also describes his path towards recovery: what helped him, what he learned along the way, and how those experiences have shaped his life and work today. His story is candid, reflective, and ultimately hopeful, offering important messages about vulnerability, recovery, and seeking support that may resonate with many young doctors.

Have a listen to hear Michael’s story and what he has learned from his journey through addiction and recovery.

Find out more about Michael:

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-frontline/spring-2025-gp-lives-michael-blackmore

Professor Bob Mash, distinguished professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Wonca Africa President and Wonca World Executive committee member (25-27), speaks in this episode about the struggles moving from London and Edinburgh to Cape Town just after the end of Apartheid as a young Family Doctor. He speaks about life and medicine in townships and how he treated patients in difficult settings.

He also kindly invited the young doctor community to the next WONCA world conference 2027 in Cape Town. Come and say hey.

Wonca World Conference 2027:

https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/Conferences/WONCAWorld2027.aspx

https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/member/WoncaPeople/MASHProfBob.aspx

In this episode, Daria Gheorghe, current EYFDM president, takes some time out of her busy WONCA World -Lisbon conference time, to talk about ho the Family Medicine Youth Movement in Europe (European Young Family Doctors Movement:EYFDM). She reflects on her personal experiences and she explains how EYFDM works and how to get involved.

Links she mentions:

Tallin Forum 2026:

https://eyfdmforum2026.eu/

Wonca Paris 2026: Preconference: https://woncaeurope2026.org/pre-conference/

EYFDM- Events-Website:

https://eyfdm.eu/events/upcoming-preconference/

In this episode, Dr. Jeff Panzer, a Chicago-based GP and healthcare innovator, talks about his perspective on relationship-based Family Medicine, his experiences doing system redesign work in primary care in the US and how he strives for “life-balance” (as opposed to the work-life balance concept). Check out his enlightening article on the frameshift that might be key for Primary Care to realize its full potential: https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMp2202511

(We apologize for the loudness issues we are working on improving our sound quality again)

In this episode Dr Clara Schlaich, MPH (Johns Hopkins University/USA) talks about her Maritime Port Medical Practice work in Hamburg (Germany), where she made her special interest part of her General Practice (GP) daily work. If you would like to find out why seefarers may need special care, and how Clara combines her special interest in public health with her exciting GP work, have a listen to this episode.

In this episode we hear from Dr. Max Elstermann, who is currently working for a pharmaceutical company as an occupational health specialist, how to combine many different special interests with Family Medicine. At the same time, he talks about the struggles it entails, a busy family life, expecting his third child, preparing for a new Iron Man season and doing the odd urgent care shift, just to keep his skills up. Many relatable life stories from someone who's doing it all, in Berlin; Germany.

In this episode, Dr. Viewweger talks about his special interest: sexual health and specific patient communities that he works with. He talks about how he set up his work life around his special interest and how he made it worthwile for himself. He talks about BISS- Chemsex, Club & Nightlife consulting, all around his ordinary GP- clinic work. Below you may find his association, his clinic website and his instragram link. Check it out if you want to find out more.

https://www.biss-chemsex.com

www.viropraxis.de

insta: letstalkaboutsexanddrugs

In this episode, Dr Besigye talks about family medicine in his home country, Uganda, about the challenges and differences in health care systems and global-& and public health. He talks about the Ugandan GP specialty training and why the world can learn from African GP's when it comes to infection control or pandemic prevention. Have a listen to this special episode.

In this episode, Prof. Howe talks about what it was like for her to train as a GP, how she overcame challenges and finally managed to follow her own personal interest. She shares how she ended up with the task to establish an undergraduate GP curriculum at Norwich, or became the president in prestigious GP organisations. She shares both professional and personal recommendations that have helped her in her life and career.

In this episode Dr. Vincent Feuillie (Head of AirFrance Community Doctor's on Board) talks about his early days as a GP during the HIV outbreak in a tropical medicine and travel clinic in Paris, France. He elaborates on how careers can take different turns and how he made his special interest of aviation medicine his full time profession. Have a listen if you want to find out more.