Friends of PonderMed,

You might have noticed I’ve been pumping out the pods thick and fast recently. My ambition is to “become a part of people’s week” as Pete Donaldson (my mentor on the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme) advises. In view of that advice I’ve set myself a target of releasing a fresh pod weekly, and I’ve managed to achieve that goal for October 2018.

With all this new content I thought it would be a good idea to release a monthly update (on the blog and via email) highlighting my latest stuff. It’s also a nice way of giving y’all an idea of what I’m up to/reading/listening to/watching/opinionated about etc.

October releases

PonderMed #4: Dr. Rosie Riley. Frontline Healthcare and Human Trafficking
Rosie is a Junior Clinical Fellow in emergency medicine and the founder of VITA Training which delivers training packages designed to equip healthcare professionals with the skills to identify, support and refer potential victims of modern-day slavery (human trafficking).

PonderMed #5: Dr. Adnan Raja. Clinician and Filmmaker
Adnan is a junior doctor and medical film producer. He is the producer of Nora, a film that premiered at the BFI IMAX cinema as part of TEDxNHS 2018. The film is set to be shown at several international film festivals over the course of the next year.

PonderMed #6: Dr. Liz O’Riordan. Breast Surgeon with Breast Cancer
Liz is a Consultant Breast Surgeon. In July 2015 she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer at the age of 40. She started a blog after her diagnosis to document her experiences as a patient. The blog has become a hugely popular (and award-winning) resource, paving the way for a “Woman of the Year” nomination in 2016. Liz is now a regular keynote speaker and media personality.

PonderMed #7: Simon Flemming. Orthopod and Anti-Bullying Campaigner #HammerItOut
Simon Flemming is a senior orthopaedics trainee and the man behind the #HammerItOut campaign tackling bullying, undermining and harassment in orthopaedics. The campaign has been so successful that other specialties are following suit and Simon has become a leading voice for culture change in the NHS and global healthcare.

*Links above are to blog posts (or “show notes”) with the podcast embedded in the post. You can also find the pods on iTunes.

Presentation I gave

A couple of weeks ago I gave a 20 minute presentation titled “Pressure Prophylaxis” to a group of anaesthetics trainees preparing for their viva (oral) examination. My mate Steve organises an intensive day of mock exams and asked me to to open the day with a talk getting their heads in the game performance-wise. “Pressure Prophylaxis” is tailored to the unique stress of viva exam conditions, but there is plenty of overlap with “My Mental Toughness Manifesto“. Feel free to get in contact for more info.

I managed to crowbar in this video of Ernie Els choking on the putting green…

Book I’m reading

“Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well” by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

Podcasts I’ve enjoyed this month

“Joe Rogan Experience #1169 Elon Musk”

“The Adam Buxton Podcast EP.81 Louis Theroux”

Documentary series I’m loving

“Fightworld” on Netflix. I’m only a couple fo episodes in, but so far I’ve found this to be a beautifully produced series illuminating cultures with hand-to-hand combat at their core.

Something personal

I’ve hinted on the podcast a couple of times that I’ve caught the hot yoga bug. I’ve been averaging 2-3 sessions/week for the last 3 months at Fierce Grace City. If my shifts in the Emergency Department permit I like to attend the morning hour-and-a half session. Practicing yoga has truly transformed my sense of wellbeing and in turn my productivity, particularly on the creative front. I foresee this remaining a part of my life for years to come and owe the discovery to my wife Caroline, who is a qualified yoga instructor. Last week I attended the halloween-themed Wednesday evening class and it was being led by Michelle Pernetta, founder of Fierce Grace and one of the most high profile yoga instructors in the UK. After the class I plucked up the courage to ask if she’d be a guest on PonderMed… and she agreed!

That’s all folks!
Robbie
@Ponder_Med (twitter)
@pondermed (instagram)

*If there is anything you think I should change/add to this newsletter for next month please get in touch.