The doctor-patient tango: How I avoid a misstep before the consult turns frosty
UK GP Dr John Launer recently shared his favourite question to throw in mid-consultation: “How is this conversation going for you so far?” It helps…
Opinion
Unique doctor-written opinion and analysis
For me, telehealth is a revelation – sometimes it’s better than seeing patients in person
My move into emergency telemedicine, after decades of public hospital practice, has been a revelation. I like to call this type of practice ‘community emergency…
Is Trump totally wrong to withdraw the US from the WHO?
Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw the United States from the WHO has been met with dismay in the public health field. Some have called one…
I slapped my toddler when she bit me: It was a reflex response to pain but I was shattered
A recent AusDoc article generated much commentary about the disciplining of children and the role of physical punishment, after a GP was fined for spanking…
It took me years to get off my high horse and properly communicate with patients
When I was a medical student in the 1960s, our lecturers and tutors, all white and male, were a stone-faced mob, devoid of humour and…
I never mastered the fetal trumpet but have always embraced new technology – with a healthy dose of scepticism
I must respond to Dr Sue Ieraci’s question, “Why does doctor technophobia persist?”, by stating that I have always been keen to adopt new technologies,…
IMGs were once considered ‘alien invaders’: I owe my career to one of them
I’ve been pondering the hurdles that IMG doctors have faced in trying to practise in Australia. There has been a host of bureaucratic hoops to…
There was a medical emergency on my flight – I sat in my seat resisting the urge to play hero
It’s crack-of-dawn early, and I’m on a flight. Working swing ER shifts has left me exhausted, barely packed, and running on fumes. But hey, as…
I’m seeing a lot of middle-aged, fatigued mothers: This is what I’ve learnt
The ability to observe human patterns as we travel through life is a unique privilege of healthcare professionals. As a GP, one such pattern is…
Telehealth is bullshit — I’m over patients thinking all consults can be done over the phone
I remember one of my first days of seeing patients by telehealth, right at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The scary new coronavirus…
