Doctors at Work (Mat Daniel)
Explore every episode of Doctors at Work
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Aug 2023 | Introduction to Doctors at Work | 00:01:09 | |
Welcome to Doctors at Work. My name's Mat Daniel, and this podcast is about doctors' careers. | |||
| 08 Aug 2023 | What's it like to be a clinical teaching fellow? With Karthika Shanthakunalan. Episode 1 | 00:44:54 | |
Karthika Shanthakunalan shares her experience of being a clinical teaching fellow in ENT. We discuss what makes a good teaching fellow, and how the role can help your career progression. Her enthusiasm for teaching is heard loud and clear! We also talk about how she made career decisions, and her tips for other early career doctors trying to decide what to do. | |||
| 11 Aug 2023 | How to create career opportunities - just say yes! With Jayesh Bhatt, consultant respiratory paediatrician | 00:19:05 | |
Jayesh Bhatt is a consultant respiratory paediatrician, with national and international leadership roles in postgraduate training and education. In this episode, he shares how he got into his education roles in addition to his clinical practice. Take home message - say yes to opportunities that come your way, you never know where they will lead! | |||
| 16 Aug 2023 | How to succeed as a foundation doctor. With Steven Aldridge. Episode 3 | 00:40:12 | |
Steven Aldridge shares his experience of Foundation training. We talk about decision making, communication with patients, and communication with colleagues. Top tip number 1 - focus on what you can do, not what you can't! Top tip number 2 - take the other person's perspective. | |||
| 17 Aug 2023 | How to make career decisions. With Steven Aldridge. Episode 4 | 00:55:31 | |
Steven has just finished his foundation training. In this episode, we discuss how doctors make career decisions, and the challenges that arise when you enjoy many areas and your focus is being of use to others. Knowing what matters to you, and what you enjoy most is important, as is the whole career package not just the clinical aspects. | |||
| 18 Aug 2023 | What do you need to consider when planning your post-CCT fellowship? With Sameer Mallick. Episode 5 | 00:50:10 | |
ENT Surgeon Sameer Mallick explains what you need to consider when deciding on a post-CCT fellowship, and how to succeed in securing one. Top tips are to start looking early, talk to current or recent fellows, and demonstrate to the fellowship supervisors that you are someone they can trust. | |||
| 21 Aug 2023 | What's it like to be a registrar in chemical pathology? With Wiaam Al-Hasani | 00:19:50 | |
Wiaam Al-Hasani explains what a career in chemical pathology / metabolic medicine is like. It's a mix of direct patient care, laboratory work, and results interpretation for other teams. Her top career decision making tip is that "you never know which opportunities are out there unless you really look for them". | |||
| 22 Aug 2023 | What's it like to be a consultant anaesthetist? With Hanlie du Plessis | 00:25:30 | |
Hanlie du Plessis talks about a career in anaesthesia. I love the idea of choosing a specialty by "finding your tribe". Her top tip for doctors exploring careers is to talk to lots of people about their careers, but don't ask them about the best bit, ask them about the worst bit - because unless you can cope with that, it doesn't matter how good the rest of the job sounds. | |||
| 23 Aug 2023 | How do you become president of a Royal College? With Kath Halliday. Episode 8 | 00:30:50 | |
Kath Halliday is president of the Royal College of Radiologists. In this episode, she explains how she got involved with her specialty society, and the importance of being helpful and a good colleague. She advises that hard work is needed, but to go where your interest takes you. I love her advice that one should never think that the roles are not for you! | |||
| 24 Aug 2023 | How do you get the most out of career coaching? With Siobhan Lynam. Episode 9 | 00:34:49 | |
Siobhan Lynam explains what coaching is, and distinguishes it from other types of help. She tells us about career coaching, what to look for in a coach, and how to get the most out of career coaching.
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| 25 Aug 2023 | What's a career in global health like, and how do you get in? With Antonio Romero Rubio. Episode 10 | 00:41:12 | |
Antonio Romero Rubio is a doctor working in global health. In this episode, he explains his career journey from engagement in medical societies, through a master's degree, to working with UN in Geneva. He outlines what global health is, and shares tips on how to get started and the types of roles that exist for doctors interested in a career in global health. | |||
| 04 Sep 2023 | How to succeed at the CESR pathway. With Mahmoud Elsayed. Episode 11 | 00:41:29 | |
CESR is the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration. In this episode, Mahmoud Elsayed shares his journey as an international graduate who has now completed CESR pathway. He compares the CESR route to the pathway to CCT taken by someone in a training post. He shares his top tips about how to succeed at the CESR application. Main message is to start early and work hard! | |||
| 08 Sep 2023 | How to succeed in postgraduate exams. With Peter Duffell. Episode 12 | 00:37:37 | |
How do you successfully pass the difficult postgraduate exams? In this episode Peter Duffell shares his experiences of coaching doctors to help them pass exams. Peter is a coach, and much of his work with doctors involves helping them succeed in exams. He offers tips for preparing, revising, and succeeding in exams. | |||
| 09 Sep 2023 | How to be more confident. With Hilary Meyer. Episode 13 | 00:45:47 | |
Confidence, or lack of it, comes up all the time in training and when people transition into a more senior role. But what exactly is it, and how do you get it? In this episode, Hilary Meyer explains. | |||
| 10 Sep 2023 | What's dermatology like and how do you get in? With Maulina Sharma | 00:28:15 | |
In this episode, Maulina Sharma tells us what dermatology is like, how to get in, and what you need to succeed. | |||
| 11 Sep 2023 | How to succeed in postgraduate exams. With Bindy Sahota. Episode 15 | 00:55:55 | |
Exams are a hurdle we all face. Bindy won the gold medal in the FRCS, but actually failed the MRCS. In this episode, he explains what he learnt about passing the exams, and he shares his tips for success. | |||
| 12 Sep 2023 | How can we change healthcare for the better? With Todd Otten. Episode 16 | 00:27:14 | |
Todd Otten has written a book called Ripple of Change, in which he argues that healthcare won't change if we wait for someone else to do it, we all need to do our bit. If every person took just a handful of small actions, the cumulative effect would be transformational. You can find out more at www.ourquadrupleaim.com. Todd R Otten MD is a board-certified family physician, naval flight surgeon of the year in 2006 - Atlantic Fleet, former chief of staff and ACO medical director. He is married, father of four, strong faith foundation, with many interests and hobbies. You can find him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-r-otten-m-d-173028277/ | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | How can doctors influence the healthcare system? With David Oliver. Episode 17 | 00:48:50 | |
In this episode, David tells us how doctors can get into positions of influence, what they can do there, and why doctors are well placed to influence the broader context. He outlines that our profession already has much influence, and shares tips for anyone aspiring to make changes in their immediate environment or the wider healthcare system. David has written a weekly freelance column, ‘Acute perspective’ in the BMJ, which has been shortlisted for the 2017 PPA columnist of the year award. He has written for several other professional and general publications, and has published more than 120 research papers, reviews, book chapters and editorials. In addition to his medical qualifications and research doctorate, David has master's degrees in health leadership, healthcare ethics and law, and postgraduate diplomas in health service management and medical education. He was recently named in the Health Service Journal's top 100 clinical leaders and top 50 integrated care leaders lists. | |||
| 18 Sep 2023 | How to succeed in your first month as an F1. With Hannah Compton. Episode 18 | 00:36:22 | |
Starting work as a doctor is surely one of the most stressful times in a doctor's career. Hannah Compton has just completed her first month as an F1. In this episode, she tells us how it went, what she learnt, and what her top tips are. | |||
| 19 Sep 2023 | How to deal with your inner critic and tap into positive emotions at work. With Anita Sauvage. Episode 19 | 00:39:32 | |
Anita talks to me about adversity, stress and uncertainty, and shares tips on how we can move from an automatic stress response into noticing what's going on for us and choosing what we want to focus on and do. I love the idea of asking yourself at the end of every day "What have you learnt about yourself"! Learning about yourself is always important, and most of us could do with more positive energy at work. | |||
| 20 Sep 2023 | How to develop assertiveness. With Gareth Couch. Episode 20 | 00:31:05 | |
In this episode, Gareth tells me what assertiveness is and what it isn't. He outlines how assertiveness is more about how you see yourself, and the relationships that you have with others, rather than posture or voice. I like his idea that it's neither passive nor aggressive, but a way to get your message across in a constructive manner that depends on the audience at the time. Gareth is the Director of Business Development at Nova Terra Coaching in Brussels. He is an accredited coach with the ICF at the ACC level, working towards his PCC and supervisory qualifications. Committed to the ICF ethics and values, and assertiveness as a way of being, he is passionate about promoting the coaching industry as an agent for change and delivering high quality, practice-led training. | |||
| 21 Sep 2023 | How can mindfulness help with stress at work? With Eike Tischer. Episode 21 | 00:31:10 | |
How can mindfulness help you to become more aware of yourself and others? And how can this greater awareness support doctors at work and in their own self-care? In this podcast, Eike shares the theoretical concepts of mindfulness and how it can be practised in daily life. She emphasises the importance of intentional attention with the attitudes of non-judgement, which creates a mindful awareness. And this awareness can help us in noticing unhelpful automatic mental and behavioural reactivity, allowing us to pause and self-regulate. This act of pausing and noticing can be extremely helpful in stressful situations and provide an opportunity to consciously choose a response. It can also help doctors in monitoring their own self-care needs and in implementing nourishing practices and habits in their lives to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue. Here are links to her recent publications for the International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring and the EMCC UK. | |||
| 22 Sep 2023 | How to set up a postgraduate course. With Alex Charlton. Episode 22 | 00:23:10 | |
Alex set up a one-day course aimed at preparing ENT senior registrars for the FRCS exam. In this episode he tells me how to set up a course, what skills you need, and he shares his tips for success. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/east-midlands-ent-frcs-viva-course-tickets-685491953887?aff=oddtdtcreator | |||
| 24 Sep 2023 | How to choose your future career in medicine? Episode 23 | 00:24:38 | |
Choosing your future career in medicine is both an exciting and a scary time. In this podcast, I share my thoughts about career decisions, and give some tips on what to think about and how to make those choices. Have a look also at https://matdaniel.net/career-advice/choosing-careers/ | |||
| 25 Sep 2023 | What are values and how can they support a successful and meaningful career? Episode 24 | 00:18:56 | |
Values describe how we want to behave now and always, and indicate how we want to treat ourselves, those near to us, and the world around us. They are like a global compass that guides the kind of person you want to be. In this episode, I talk about values, what they are, how to find yours, and how to use them to help you create a successful and meaningful career. Have a look also at https://matdaniel.net/career-advice/values/ | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | What do new doctors need in order to succeed when they enter the world of work? With Jo-Ann Compton. Episode 25 | 00:41:54 | |
In this episode, Jo-Ann tells me about the challenges new graduates face when they enter work. It's a big step that everyone faces, and it's often challenging, made all the more salient by the seismic changes in how organisations function and what they expect of their staff. Jo-Ann tells me how senior doctors and leaders can support new doctors, and shares her tips for new graduates themselves. Her top tip is about self-care. | |||
| 28 Sep 2023 | How the NHS Practitioner Health Service supports doctors. With Zaid Al-Najjar. Episode 26 | 00:20:18 | |
In this episode, Zaid explains what NHS Practitioner Health Service is. We discuss the challenges faced by doctors when accessing mental health support, and he shares his top tips for seeking help and for being a good colleague. | |||
| 29 Sep 2023 | What's Audiovestibular Medicine like? With Anne Easson. Episode 27 | 00:14:22 | |
In this episode, Anne tells me what Audiovestibular Medicine is like and what skills you need to get in. She shares the importance of being a good listener, and explains how she loves unpicking complex issues to arrive at the diagnosis and then a treatment plan. | |||
| 29 Sep 2023 | How can doctors set and maintain boundaries? With Claire Davies. Episode 28 | 00:31:42 | |
It's common for doctors to be asked to do more and more, or to do things they don't want to, or things that they think shouldn't be done. Boundaries then are a way that we can set parameters of how we think the world should be. Claire tells me that boundaries are not about saying no, they are not fixed rigid walls, but something that is decided and negotiated on a case by case basis. Understanding, and demonstrating that you get the other person's perspective can be helpful if you have to say no. Taking a pause is also useful, and if you are struggling then starting with small boundaries can also be helpful. But most importantly, knowing yourself is key to deciding where your boundaries are, and what you say yes and what you say no to. | |||
| 02 Oct 2023 | How to support physician wellbeing. With Kim Downey. Episode 29 | 00:20:32 | |
Kim is a physical therapist as well as a patient. She is a fierce advocate for physician wellbeing. In this episode she tells me what doctors can do to prevent and manage burnout. I love the idea of patients being advocates for doctors' wellbeing! The following resources may also be useful. https://www.kevinmd.com/2023/09/reigniting-after-burnout-3-physician-stories.html | |||
| 10 Oct 2023 | Assertiveness and how to say No. Episode 30 | 00:12:46 | |
In this episode, I talk about assertiveness, and how to say no. I explain why saying no is difficult, I outline ways of thinking that might help, and share two frameworks to say no in a socially acceptable way. | |||
| 17 Oct 2023 | How to plan your post CCT fellowship. With Shilpa Ojha. Episode 31 | 00:21:55 | |
In this episode, Shilpa tells me what to think about when planning your pots CCT fellowship, how to decide, and how to make it happen. Her top tips are to be clear on what you want from the fellowship, and start planning well in advance. | |||
| 20 Oct 2023 | How to manage conflict at work. With Adrian Piggott. Episode 32 | 00:43:11 | |
All of us face conflict at work. Adrian tells me that expecting perfect agreement all the time just isn't realistic. Conflict can actually be essential for high performing teams. He differentiates between functional conflict that helps teams grow, and dysfunctional conflict that is driven by emotions and lack of understanding. In this episode, he shares his understanding of how and why conflict arises, and gives his top tips for managing conflict at work. I particularly like the idea of approaching our interactions with curiosity, compassion and collaboration. | |||
| 21 Oct 2023 | How to get into society leadership roles, and run a mentoring course. With Nathan Walker. Episode 33 | 00:22:52 | |
In this episode Nathan tells me how he got started in society leadership roles, and outlines how one role leads to more opportunities. He runs the ASIT mentoring course, and talks to me about mentoring and how to run a course. I love his passion for mentoring! One of his top tips when considering leadership roles is to stop worrying about rejection, and focus on learning instead. | |||
| 23 Oct 2023 | How to carry out a prize-winning poster project. With Syeda Gul Bahar. Episode 34 | 00:35:50 | |
Syeda Gul Bahar carried out a short surgical training project and won the poster prize at the Faculty of Surgical Trainers meeting. In this episode, we discuss the importance of having your eyes open to potential ideas, the need to be passionate and to find collaborators, and to plan your project with the end in mind. | |||
| 24 Oct 2023 | How to stop procrastinating. With Richard MacKinnon. Episode 35 | 00:37:26 | |
We often talk about procrastination, but what exactly is it and how do you stop? In this episode, Richard MacKinnon distinguishes procrastination from laziness or busyness, and tells me that procrastination is about irrationally delaying something and with resultant consequences. Usually the cause is some sort of discomfort with the task required, and as a result we tell ourselves stories to try and justify to ourselves why we are not taking action. But we forget that sooner or later, the task will still need to be done. He advises people to notice when they find themselves in circumstances that lead to procrastination, to pause and notice what's going on (being honest with yourself), and then make a considered choice of what to do. | |||
| 26 Oct 2023 | What is the attainment gap? With Ricky Ellis. Episode 36 | 00:27:54 | |
Doctors from different backgrounds have different success rates in postgraduate exams and in interviews, and different rates of representation in senior leadership roles. In this episode, Ricky Ellis tells me about his work on differential attainment. In part 1, we discuss what differential attainment is, and how it arises. The next episode will be part 2 where we will discuss what we can do about it. | |||
| 26 Oct 2023 | What can we do about the attainment gap? With Ricky Ellis. Episode 37 | 00:31:54 | |
Doctors from different backgrounds have different success rates in postgraduate exams and in interviews, and different rates of representation in senior leadership roles. In episode 36, Ricky Ellis told me what differential attainment is, and how it arises. The this episode we discuss what we can do about it. There are things that we can change at system level, at regional level, and at the level of individuals to make our profession better. | |||
| 27 Oct 2023 | How to make career decisions - a focus on what YOU want. With Gilly Freedman. Episode 38 | 00:36:59 | |
As doctors we make career decisions all the time, and some of these will be challenging to make. In this episode, Gilly shares her experiences of having career discussions with doctors. She tells me that as doctors we are used to having a very clear career road map, but doing something different requires agency and courage. I love her top tips: value yourself, be kind to yourself, and know that there are always more opportunities that seem immediately apparent. | |||
| 30 Oct 2023 | How to hold great meetings. With Adrian Piggott. Episode 39 | 00:40:38 | |
Doctors spend a significant amount of time in meetings, but how productive are they? In this episode, Adrian tells me about the importance of considering why the meeting is being held, what we need to do to meet its purpose, and how this needs to be done. Usually it is best to hold meetings to make decisions or generate ideas; information giving can often be done better without holding a meeting, but if information giving is part of the meeting then we should try to link it to a decision or idea generation. And hybrid meetings are the hardest to do well! | |||
| 31 Oct 2023 | How to get into and succeed in leadership roles. With Michaella Cameron. Episode 40 | 00:38:56 | |
Michaella set up a mentoring programme for aspiring surgeons, has been on committees for Melanin Medics and for Students & Foundation Doctors in Otolaryngology, and is now enrolled on the Emerging Leaders programme through RCSEng. In this episode, she tells me that every doctor is a leader, whether they have formal designation or not. For her, leadership is about leaving the situation / people better than she found them, and the key to noticing improvement opportunities is to have your eyes open for things that aren't as they should be and then doing something about it. And it's important not to talk yourself out of applying for roles through a belief that others are better than you, there will always be set backs, but what's the worst thing than can happen? Just focus on what is meaningful to you and take it one step at a time. You can find her on LinkedIn. | |||
| 02 Nov 2023 | How do you become the head of School of Surgery, and what skills do you need to succeed? With Gill Tierney. Episode 41 | 00:25:04 | |
Gill Tierney is the head of the School of Surgery in East Midlands, and experienced medical educator, and president of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland. In this episode, we discuss how doctors can get involved in medical education, and how one role leads to another. She highlights the key role that people skills play when it comes to succeeding in non-clinical roles. And I love her tip to do what gives you pleasure. | |||
| 06 Nov 2023 | How do you solve issues at work? With Ekpemi Irune. Episode 42 | 00:40:09 | |
Our workplace is full of issues that are complex, multifaceted, and with no clear solutions. In this episode Ekpemi and I discuss the challenges of dealing with complex issues at work. She tells me that good relationships are key, it's important to be clear on what it is that you want, and to take the other person's perspective into account. | |||
| 09 Nov 2023 | How can nurses and doctors work together to change the healthcare system for the better? With Jennifer Thietz. Episode 44 | 00:30:48 | |
The healthcare system is in crisis across the world. In this episode, Jennifer shares her experiences of working as a nurse across two continents, and stresses that by working together, nurses and doctors are a stronger force for good than either could be alone. Her top tips for doctors include the importance of social chit chat, involving nurses in decision making about patient care, and public praise. | |||
| 07 Nov 2023 | What's a career in public health like? With Joe Home. Episode 43 | 00:42:29 | |
In this episode, Joe tells me what a career in public health is like. Public health is about working at global and population level, and with much more long term outcomes than many doctors may be used to. It's also about dealing with the root causes of disease, rather than the end symptoms. Training is varied, you get to mix with lots of different people, and in different contexts. | |||
| 14 Nov 2023 | How to get started in research early on in your career. With Connor Allen. Episode 45 | 00:35:48 | |
Connor Allen is a medical student who spent a year doing research and then then did an internship at WHO. In this episode, he tells me how to get started in research, and what skills you need to succeed. His top tips are networking, starting small by getting a foot in the door, investing in your own learning, and developing a niche for yourself. | |||
| 23 Nov 2023 | How to get your paper published. With Kieran Walsh. Episode 47 | 00:49:40 | |
When you have done a great project you want to share it with the world, so that others can benefit from your experience and findings. Plus it helps you progress your career too. But how do you get a paper published? In this episode, Kieran Walsh takes us through the journey of a project from inception to publication, and he shares his views on how to get published. Top tip is to start with the end in mind. | |||
| 21 Nov 2023 | How to combine clinical work with a non-clinical interest. With Heerani Woodun. Episode 46 | 00:40:31 | |
Many of us have interests outside clinical work, but struggle to find the time to pursue them. Heerani Woodun dances, has a YouTube channel, and won the Queen Miss Africa UK competition. In this episode, she tells me how she manages to combine clinical work with those outside interests. For her it's not about having either clinical or non-clinical activity, it's about having both, and the secret is to plan ahead, and to adjust your activities based on what the demands are at different points in your career. And it's important to remember that far from the non-clinical activities being a drain for the clinical work, they fuel your energy and make your clinical career better in the long term. | |||
| 02 Dec 2023 | How to think differently about challenges at work. With Sanjay Popat. Episode 48 | 00:36:26 | |
We all face challenging work situations, but what makes makes one instance stressful and the other one not? And how come some doctors just seem to rise above it all, but others struggle? Sanjay Popat has researched stress in foundation doctors, and identified that the way people make sense of situations really matters. We all have "schemas" which are lenses through which we see the world, and these schemas influence what we make out of the situations we face. Seeking professional help can be useful to unpick ingrained ways of thinking, and individuals can also make sure that they pay attention to and notice what is going on, what triggers them, and how they think. Once you have identified ways of thinking, you can then fact check the assumptions that you make, look at possible alternative explanations, and recognise that situations are usually complex shades of grey more than binary all or nothing thinking. You can read his blogs summarising his research here and here, and you can find him on LinkedIn. | |||
| 09 Dec 2023 | What is emotional intelligence, and how can it help you at work? Episode 49 | 00:36:46 | |
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others. Much of what we do as doctors and leaders involves emotions. In this episode I explain what emotional intelligence is, and share some tips for developing it. | |||
| 03 Jan 2024 | How do you make time for hobbies in a busy clinical career? With Natalie Lee. Episode 53 | 00:22:37 | |
Our careers are always busy, and finding time to do anything other than clinical practice can be tricky. But Natalie tells me that far from hobbies being something that takes time away from clinical work, hobbies actually give us energy that supports us in the clinical practice. There will never be enough time, so we need to make time. It doesn't have to be many hours for a major new achievement, just doing something small is a start. | |||
| 15 Dec 2023 | How to serve without self-sacrifice. With James Williams. Episode 50 | 00:45:10 | |
As doctors, we all want to help patients and make a difference. We all want to serve others. But this attitude may not be without problems. In this episode, James tells me that sometimes the focus on others means that we neglect ourselves, and end up resentful, burnt out, or exhausted. If we are to be of service to others, we first need to be at our best. This means that in order to help others, we also need a focus on our own wellbeing. So this is not about sacrificing ourselves to help others, it's about looking after ourselves so that we can be of service to others. | |||
| 20 Dec 2023 | What's a career in clinical oncology like? With Rachel Cooper. Episode 51 | 00:31:24 | |
Rachel Cooper tells me that clinical oncology is an exciting and ever changing career. There is much teamwork, varied ways of working, and plenty of research-based advances. Clinical oncologists have multiple treatment options at their disposal, and overall are able to make a difference to many patients and their families. Her top tip for anyone interested is to go and find local consultants working in clinical oncology, and spend some time in their clinics to experience what the specialty is like. Rachel has previously held several positions including in LCC training programme director and lead clinician and nationally Medical Director, Education and Training for the UK at the Royal College of Radiologists. Prior to this she was an examiner and then chaired the First FRCR exam board as well as sitting on a number of committees in the RCR and nationally such as the Radiotherapy Reference Group. She is married to Mehmet, a Professor in Radiation Oncology and clinical oncologist at LCC and has one son, Emre. Outside of medicine she is Chair of Governors for a federation of three primary schools and loves, amongst many things playing tennis, swimming, all arts but especially reading and a good night out with family and friends! | |||
| 27 Dec 2023 | How to build your psychological survival kit. With Will Mangar. Episode 52 | 00:40:19 | |
Medicine is an incredibly rewarding profession, yet we also work at a time of constant change and uncertainty. We are all likely to face adversity at least sometimes. In this episode, Will Mangar tells me about the idea of the psychological survival kit. When faced with difficulties, we first need to have self awareness to recognise that something is amis, and then put in some circuit breakers that would take us towards wellbeing rather than away. This means proactively building the sorts of behaviours that are nourishing and sustaining for the long term, such as relationships, exercise and creativity. You can also watch us talk on youtube. | |||
| 09 Jan 2024 | How to succeed as an introvert. With Charity Hix. Episode 54 | 00:29:18 | |
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? In this episode, Charity Hix tells me that introverts tend to like time to think and reflect, and dislike constant disturbance. But being an introvert isn't about liking or disliking people, it's about where your energy comes from. We are all of course individuals and no two people are alike! If you are an early career doctor making career decisions, then knowing that you lean towards being an introvert can be useful when choosing your specialty and the workplace context. And for introverts in senior doctor roles, having some quiet time and boundaries can replenish energy in busy clinical settings. | |||
| 11 Jan 2024 | How to stop with catastrophising. With Harry Glasstone. Episode 55 | 00:29:34 | |
Have you ever found yourself worrying about possible disastrous outcomes, even though in reality they would be most unlikely? Thoughts going round and round? Emotions taking over rational thinking? Worried about the next on call, or feeling unable to progress certain practical procedures? Then you might have been catastrophising. Harry Glasstone tells me that in catastrophising emotions take over, and instead of being rational and considered, we obsessively focus on the worst possible outcomes. But whilst considering a range of outcomes is no bad thing, in catastrophising emotions take over control our actions more than rational thinking. He tells me how to identify when you might be catastrophising, and that the key to getting out of it is to convert emotional responses into logical approaches. | |||
| 16 Jan 2024 | How to perform under pressure. With Adam Nicholls. Episode 56 | 00:43:12 | |
We all face stressful moments in our careers, when we have to perform under pressure. This isn't just limited to clinical challenges, there are frequent pressures related to time, resources, learning, exams, and interviews. How do you set yourself up for success? In this episode, Adam Nicholls tells me that success starts well ahead of the moment of performance itself. It is wise to think and plan in advance, so that you have already considered possible challenges and obstacles, and have a plan in place for dealing with them. Visualising events in advance can be useful, and visualisation can focus on touch, sound, smell, as well as what you see. When it comes to training others, there needs to be a focus on strengths as well as on development areas, and over time the stressfulness of the situation should be increased in a supportive learning environment. And in the moment of performance itself, a threat mindset when people worry about threats can cause sabotage, but a mindset of challenge focused on what needs to happen is better. | |||
| 19 Jan 2024 | How to be a good role model. With Sue Carr. Episode 57 | 00:35:37 | |
Most of us will remember role models (good and bad) that have heavily influenced who we are today. Sue Carr tells me that actually everyone of us is a role model to someone, we need to remember that and be aware of the shadow that we cast. Her top tips are to know yourself, and to show up day after and display consistently good values and behaviours such as compassion, listening and generosity. | |||
| 30 Jan 2024 | How to create great teams. With Simon Craig. Episode 59 | 00:37:52 | |
All of us work in teams, but what makes one team great and another less so? In this episode, I discuss teams with Simon Craig who has written a book called From hurting to healing in which he explores how we need to change medicine for the better. He tells me about the importance of belonging, leadership, and cake! His top tip for doctors would be to really invest in high quality connections. | |||
| 24 Jan 2024 | How to prevent and manage adverse healthcare events. With Gordon Caldwell. Episode 58 | 00:45:37 | |
Patients are at the centre of what we do, yet they are also at risk of harm from adverse events related to their healthcare needs. And when errors happen, doctors are affected too. In this episode, Gordon Caldwell shares his experiences of managing and preventing adverse events. He stresses the importance of creating a culture that encourages everyone to speak up. His top tips for preventing errors is to create systems, checklists, and routines that ensure a focus on all aspects of care not just the obvious and urgent. | |||
| 02 Feb 2024 | What are the benefits of a portfolio career? With Daniel Lamp. Episode 60 | 00:41:57 | |
Whereas traditional medical careers have involved staying in the same place until retirement, more and more doctors are embracing careers based on variety and mobility. In this episode, Daniel tells me about his own portfolio career that involves clinical work in different settings, as well as non-clinical work. He outlines that this gives him flexibility, variety, and learning opportunities, and each clinical career contributes to him being a better doctor in the other careers. The different careers meet different things that he desires in his work. He also outlines a mindset interested in growth and development, and the importance of taking up opportunities as they arise. Finally, we also discuss money. This may be a dirty topic for medics, but in our discussions we discover that actually financial (as well as physical and psychological) health is important if we are to give the best we can to our patients. Daniel Lamp is an Australian doctor, who has a portfolio career spanning General Practice, Emergency, and telehealth medicine. Outside of medicine, he runs a podcast promoting the concept of financial health, as too often doctors are not taught personal finances and often don’t know where to start when it comes to investing. Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn, and check out his podcast ‘Passive Income Doctor’ at passiveincomedoctor.buzzsprout.com | |||
| 06 Feb 2024 | How to make changes in the NHS. With Gideon Johnson. Episode 61 | 00:29:24 | |
We all see problems at work, but how can we change things for the better? In this episode, Gideon Johnson tells me that mindset is key. It starts with going into work with eyes open, and an attitude that looks for solutions rather than just dwelling on problems. You don't have to have it all worked out at the start, all ideas begin small, and talking to others will help you gage the interest and gather support; chances are that you'll discover that most other people will agree with you than something better is needed! Implementing change is often difficult, but a mindset focused on the bigger picture and on making a difference to others helps sustain you when faced with challenges to bringing your ideas to fruition. Supportive and enthusiastic colleagues help too, as does asking for help when you need it. And when it comes to navigating the complexity of large organisations, his tip us to align your ideas with organisational policies and missions. | |||
| 09 Feb 2024 | Learn to hear and be heard. With Pietro Garbelli. Episode 62 | 00:35:05 | |
How can we improve the quality of professional and leadership communications at work? In this episode, Pietro tells me that hearing others and learning to hear are both skills that can be learnt and developed. It starts with a mindset focused on service, the others' needs, and common goals, and less on personal ego and agenda. Whilst being in one place a long time creates important institutional memory, there is an advantage to being an outsider too as this enables thinking and acting in a way that solves problems in a different way to what is "the usual" way of working. Having eyes open for opportunities to make a difference matters. You can also watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos. | |||
| 13 Feb 2024 | How to succeed in your first F1 job. With Ellen Nelson-Rowe. Episode 63 | 00:25:53 | |
Starting work as a doctor much be one of the most stressful career transitions. In this episode, Ellen advises others to be ready for the significant jump in responsibility, and to recognise that they have a large body of knowledge to call on. Self-care is important too, both for short term stress management as well as for long term career longevity. And whilst the focus may be on the clinical job, doctors also need to remember the importance of learning, portfolio building, and longer term career planning. | |||
| 27 Feb 2024 | How to make career decisions. With Ellen Nelson-Rowe. Episode 66 | 00:23:08 | |
When you start working as a doctor, a myriad of different options are on offer. Ellen is a foundation doctor, and in this episode she tells me that it can be useful to plan both short term and long term career steps. Even if you think you know what you want to do, it still pays to keep your mind open and build generic capabilities and achievements. It's also important to consider how work fits into the rest of your life. And I love her view that leadership roles roles enable her to make a difference. | |||
| 16 Feb 2024 | What's a career in oculoplastic surgery like? With Lorraine Abercrombie. Episode 64 | 00:24:47 | |
In this episode, Lorraine tells me about her career journey into oculoplastic surgery. She describes the types of patients she sees and the procedures she performs, and shares both challenges and her most satisfying moments. Her career tips are to work hard and be nice to people, which is a good tip for whatever specialty one works in. | |||
| 20 Feb 2024 | How to create a portfolio career. With Catherine Fernando. Episode 65 | 00:37:19 | |
Catherine started her career in hospital medicine, but then moved into General Practice, and now combines GP work with family life and running her company Iyasu Medical Bags. In this episode we discuss her early career decision-making, and she tells me the importance of being true to yourself and doing the career that is right for you. Many of us want to do lots of different things, and that can be done but perhaps not all at the same time! I love the story of Iyasu bags, from spotting a problem to a product that is now on the market and also supports women's empowerment initiatives. How IYASU was born. Upon looking for a doctor’s bag for work I couldn’t really find any that I liked. I noticed that all the designs were very masculine. I looked everywhere (online) and I asked other female GPs what they used as their doctor’s bag. They were using camera bags, nappy bags, designer handbags, gym bags etc. It seemed like there was a bit of a gap in this niche market. The gladstone bag (traditional, iconic GP bag) was designed 150 years ago when only men were allowed to go to medical school and practice as doctors). Now over 50% of medical students are female and women outnumber men in General Practice. I wondered why the accessories for medics hadn’t changed to reflect the changing demographic. I started making sketches and took my designs to Business Gateway (there is a local Business Gateway Office for almost everyone in the UK) who received my ideas with enthusiasm and supported me to develop them further. IYASU (which means “to heal” in Japanese) took around 3-4 years of development prior to launch in March 2023. | |||
| 01 Mar 2024 | Taking you inner critic to court. With Natalia Cerezo Martin. Episode 67 | 00:23:15 | |
How do you deal with your inner critic? In this episode, Natalia tells me that the inner critic is a sign that there is a need for growth. It's important that we don't get bullied by it, and I love her suggestion of taking thoughts to court and examining factual evidence. Her tips for dealing with the inner critic are to identify it, accept it, and then convert it into a force for growth. | |||
| 05 Mar 2024 | Harnessing the power of vulnerability at work. With Natalia Cerezo Martin. Episode 68 | 00:23:15 | |
It seems odd to say that vulnerability at work could be a good thing, but in this episode Natalia outlines several reasons why showing your vulnerability at work could be a good thing. When one person is willing to admit that they are not at their best, this allows other members to share too, and this ultimately creates a team that cares more for each other. We talk a lot about learning cultures, but if we pretend to be perfect all the time, then the opportunities for learning aren't allowed to exist. And when you are not at your best, sharing this with others will help them decide how to get the best out of you on a given day, and would avoid misunderstandings that a short fuse might create. Throughout my 15-year tenure in customer-facing roles, I've been committed to nurturing both individual growth and team development, always aligning personal goals with business objectives. My career trajectory has been a steep climb, leading me to the senior leadership team of a cybersecurity company. With experience in both B2B and B2C sectors, I have navigated companies through complex changes including acquisitions, mergers, rebranding, and restructuring—basically, if it involves change management, I've done it. Committed to professional excellence, I hold a Level 7 Certificate for Executive and Senior Level Coaches and Mentors from the Institute of Leadership and Management. I'm also a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. I've battled anxiety, taken purposeful career breaks, and never shied away from redefining my professional path. These experiences have not only made me a lifelong learner but also a leader focused on resilience and adaptability. I believe in a non-hierarchical, action-oriented approach to leadership. Throughout my career, I have been particularly effective in male-dominated environments and have always been a proactive challenger of imposter syndrome. You can find Natalia at https://nataliacerezo.com, on LinkedIn, and at https://linktr.ee/coaching_with_natalia. You can also watch at https://www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos | |||
| 08 Mar 2024 | How can we better support SAS doctors, locally-employed doctors, and international medical graduates? With Nitin Shrotri. Episode 69 | 00:28:46 | |
International medical graduates form a large proportion of our workforce, with many working in SAS (specialty and specialist) or locally-employed roles. In this episode, Nitin and I discuss the challenges faced by international medical graduates, we talk about racism, and he tells me about the importance of nationally agreed contracts. All of us need to be open to diversity, and be aware of the prejudices and assumptions that we all inevitably hold. Talent doesn't come with a British accent! A number of national initiative are taking place to better support international medical graduates and SAS and locally-employed doctors, and each one of us can also look at what we can do in our immediate environment. The charter for locally-employed doctors in the UK NHS can be accesses here. | |||
| 12 Mar 2024 | How to do a mid-career reinvention. With Will Mangar. Episode 70 | 00:51:07 | |
Many doctors assume that career decisions are a one-off event, but the reality is that many of us make one decision after another. Over time, our environments change, and we also change. Career management means paying attention to what is going in in our careers and in ourselves, and repeatedly adjusting to create the success and meaning that gives career satisfaction. | |||
| 15 Mar 2024 | How can we better support women in medicine? With Chelcie Jewitt. Episode 71 | 00:33:10 | |
Most women doctors have experienced sexism at work, and face adversity ranging from micro aggression to sexual assault. What can we do about it? Chelcie Jewitt from Surviving in Scrubs tells me that changing the whole medical culture won't happen overnight, but there are small steps that each one of us can take. When witnessing discrimination, the least that bystanders can do is to acknowledge the event to the person on the receiving end, but it is important to let the person affected decide what should happen next. Speaking up and listening to what other's say is a key step, as is having an open mind and seeing things from the other's point of view. | |||
| 19 Mar 2024 | How to reinvent your career after you turn 50. With Denise Taylor. Episode 72 | 00:43:21 | |
All of us change over time, and the choices we made and how we worked in our twenties may no longer suit. In this episode, Denise tells me that it's not unusual to look for alterations in our working lives, and this may be small moves or radical ones. Having a really clear understanding of what matters to you is important, and sometimes really good hints come from exploring childhood experiences. Change requires networking, but the ideal job might not exist, you might have to create it yourself. Making a decision about how much money you and your family need is important too, and radical moves are best done from a position of strength. You can also watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos. | |||
| 22 Mar 2024 | What's a career in occupational medicine like? With Sarwar Chowdhury. Episode 73 | 00:40:21 | |
Sarwar tells me that occupational medicine is a very varied specialty, which draws on a range of skills particularly problem solving, negotiation, and report writing. Much practice occurs outside the NHS, and the routes into the specialty include both NHS and training outside the NHS. It's one of the few areas of medicine where doctors get to spend 45 minutes or longer talking to a patient, and his career allows him to practice medicine whilst at the same time working with many different non-NHS contexts. | |||
| 26 Mar 2024 | How to build better connections. With Mick Connors. Episode 74 | 00:39:10 | |
Mick Connors and I discuss the importance of interpersonal connections at work. Our careers are busier than ever, but somewhere along the line we have lost the deep personal connections that we used to have with colleagues and patients too. Instead of focusing on the person in front of us, we are focused on processes, electronic systems, and targets. Technological advances are certainly useful, we just need to remember that human relationships matter too. The structures that fostered connections 20 years may not exist, and it is up to us to make sure that we continue to build these connections in the modern technological world. Approaching interaction with humility, respect, and patient focus helps, as does an open mindset focused on growth. | |||
| 02 Apr 2024 | What do we know about the F1 career transition? With Wen Wang. Episode 75 | 00:31:45 | |
Starting work as a doctor is a challenging time. Wen has researched this period, and in this episode she tells me that many of the challenges revolve around uncertainty. Senior doctors can help new doctors successfully enter the world of work, and new doctors can themselves create change for themselves and for others. New doctors are the senior leaders of the future, and can start influencing culture right from today onwards. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and X @DrWenWang. | |||
| 05 Apr 2024 | Career tips for international medical graduates. With Ibifunke Pegba-Otemolu. Episode 76 | 01:03:38 | |
This episode is a recording of my appearance on Funke's Thriving in the NHS huddle, where we discussed career tips for IMGs. Production: Shot by Polachek | |||
| 09 Apr 2024 | What's a career in General Practice like? With Ranj Sagoo. Episode 77 | 00:44:15 | |
Ranj tells me that General Practice in an exciting specialty with wide variety of conditions and interactions. Good communication skills and teamwork are important, as is an ability to manage uncertainty. We discuss the many different ways that GPs can work, including portfolio careers. I love the way his Practice has created structures that enable staff to connect and get support from each other. Early in his GP career he developed an interest in Dermatology and completed the Cardiff Diploma of Practical Dermatology, followed by the Cardiff Certificate in Dermoscopy. Combining this with his surgical skills Dr Ranj developed an expertise in diagnosing and managing chronic skin conditions, diagnosing skin lesions and performing skin surgery. As he progressed in his career Dr Ranj felt that there was so much more that we can do to help people not only manage their health problems but prevent them from occurring. Dr Ranj has a firm belief that we are in control of our health and those people that struggle with their health have the power within them to regain that control. We are not destined to develop certain conditions because they are in the family, nor should people feel restricted by their health problems as they are very reversible. Dr Ranj began to look at health as a complex interaction of multiple contexts of life. Core to his belief is seeing the person as a whole and not the illness that they present with. Developing a deeper understanding of the person, their values, purpose and their circumstances, holds the key to helping them with their health problems. He began to explore the psychology of health behaviour and the drivers of motivation to change. Dr Ranj developed an awareness of the need for a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing. He developed a fascination with lifestyle and nutritional approaches to health and wellbeing. He has since become certified in counselling, a Professional Coach and NLP Practitioner accredited by the Association of Professional Coaches (APC) and European Association of Neurolinguistic Programming (EANLP). Dr Ranj has also achieved the Level 3 Award for Nutritional Intervention in Exercise, Wellbeing and Weight Management with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and completed the Diploma of Lifestyle Medicine with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) and is a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician. With his Health & Wellbeing programs, Dr Ranj helps clients achieve their health goals by bringing together his wealth of knowledge in conventional, nutritional and lifestyle medicine. Using his skills in counselling, coaching and NLP he helps clients make deep discovery, find alignment with their values and make sustainable life-long change. A true journey to creating a healthier and happier life, not only for the client but their family and loved ones through transferable learning. Outside of medicine, Dr Ranj is an Award-winning Fine Art wildlife artist, having won the 2022 BritishContemporary.Art ‘Artist of the Year’ award. He is also keen on sports and fitness and enjoys playing football, tennis, and kickboxing. As well as this Dr Ranj enjoys travelling and exploring different cultures and cuisines with his family. You can find him at www.drranjsagoo.com, Instagram @drranj_healthcoach; Youtube @drranj_healthcoach; www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ranjit-sagoo; and https://www.facebook | |||
| 12 Apr 2024 | How can you develop your emotional intelligence? With Tracy Davis. Episode 78 | 00:36:44 | |
What is emotional intelligence and how do you develop it? Tracy tells me that emotional intelligence is about how you relate to yourself and to others. We all have a tendency for events to lead to emotions without us pausing and considering what is going on, so the key is to actually slow down the move from event to emotion and examine the thoughts that are determining how we feel. Once we recognise the thoughts as well as emotions at play, we can then make choices based on how we really want to be, instead of doing things that we later regret. Better emotional intelligence makes us happier in the long term, and it also improves workplace interactions with colleagues. | |||
| 16 Apr 2024 | How to deal with permacrisis at work. With Matt Morgan. Episode 79 | 00:41:56 | |
Our work seems to consist of one crisis after another. In this episode, Matt tells me about the importance of identifying what's urgent and what's important. This can be learnt, and asking others can be a useful way to develop this prioritisation skill. Checklists have a place too, as long as we don't forget the importance of human interaction. Regular stress and pressure also means that looking after ourselves is important, and we need to dedicate time to strategic and long term thinking as well as to today's emergency. | |||
| 19 Apr 2024 | How to optimise your mental performance. With Krystle Kustanovich. Episode 80 | 00:58:40 | |
As doctors we have to perform to a high standard in many settings, whether this is leading a ward round, cardiac arrest, or operating. Our technical skills are important, and out mindset matters too. In this episode, Krystle and I discuss mental performance. | |||
| 23 Apr 2024 | How to define career success. With Jason Cottle. Episode 81 | 00:25:12 | |
Career success means different things to different people. However, as doctors we compare ourselves to each other, and when applying for jobs we are compared against other candidates. In this episode Jason, who is a PGY3 doctor, tells me about his experiences of defining career success. We talk about how comparison with others can be good, but it can also be problematic. His advice is to focus on learning, people, and the "why", as much as on external indicators of success. | |||
| 26 Apr 2024 | What can doctors learn from elite athletes? With Phil Doyle. Episode 82 | 00:45:13 | |
Phil is a doctor and an Irish Olympian rower. In this episode, we discuss how his understanding of elite sport performance can help doctors at work. He describes a great analogy of his whole life / career being a four legged stool, and that whilst you might only be able to function on three, you cannot do so on two legs. I love the idea of always making choices about what is prioritised today, and always understanding that there are long term as well as short term goals. He tells me that pressure is important for learning, and that the key is to understand what the pressure is and how it helps you progress. And I love how he talks about the importance of having mental clarity instead of jumping into situations in the middle of an adrenaline rush. | |||
| 30 Apr 2024 | How to deal with stresses at work. With Matthew Fuller. Episode 83 | 00:51:39 | |
Careers in medicine are rewarding, and at the same time full of stresses. In this episode, Matthew Fuller and I discuss how to manage challenging situations at work. Matthew tells me that it is important to distinguish emotions from facts, to recognise that emotions are data, and that it pays to step back and focus on what it is that you really want. Some challenges may not be easy to fix, but making a conscious choice on how to engage puts you in a powerful position going forwards. | |||
| 03 May 2024 | How to have a portfolio career. With Ellen Welch. Episode 84 | 00:39:36 | |
Ellen Welch is a GP and a book author, and has had a variety of different roles in the past. In this episode we discuss portfolio careers. She outlines how she has reinvented herself multiple times, based on what she wanted and on how work fitted into the rest of her life. She outlines how being flexible is a real asset, even if flexible careers have both up and downsides. Making decent income from portfolio careers might not be easy, but as doctors we should always remember the value that we bring and the skills that we have. I love her can-do mindset, instead of moping about what is wrong, she has repeatedly gone out and made her desired future happen based on what she wants. | |||
| 07 May 2024 | How to make career decisions: towards rather than away moves. With Fiona Setch. Episode 85 | 00:38:17 | |
How do you make career decisions? Our careers are never static, they change, we change, and the world around us changes. In this episode, Fiona Setch and I discuss our own career decisions, and identify the importance of doing moves that take you towards your desired future, rather than moves aimed at escaping the current challenges. The key to dealing with career dissatisfaction and critical incidents is then to identify what it is that you want, and to take your life and career in that direction. This might not mean large moves, sometimes small adjustments can help, as can conscious focus on what you enjoy about your current role. | |||
| 10 May 2024 | How do you become Head of the School of General Practice? With Manjiri Bodhe. Episode 86 | 00:45:19 | |
In this episode, Manjiri tells me how she became Head of School. We talk about the importance of role models in career planning, and discuss how as doctors we often have a very narrow view of the skills that we have. We discuss how some people have a tendency to talk themselves out of going for roles, and of the importance of confronting the fear that we have and consider what are the worst and best things that can happen. Manjiri tells me how one opportunity often leads to another, and that's it's important to have a mindset that looks for opportunities, development, and growth. | |||
| 14 May 2024 | How to become a senior medical leader. With Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard. Episode 87 | 00:35:42 | |
Helen has had a range of senior leadership roles, and in this episode she tells me how to get into leadership, how to progress, and the skills needed to succeed. Many people will have great skills, but they don't put themselves forward, they wait to be asked, or they wait for the perfect opportunity. However, this means that they may struggle to have the impact that they want, and Helen's tip is to go for it, learn and develop, and don't be afraid to fail. She tells me that it's important to keep eyes open for exciting opportunities, and this also means having to create space by letting go of other things. Our careers are not linear, they evolve all the time, and every step opens up a myriad of new doors and opportunities. Getting to know yourself is key to good leadership, as is knowing the people around you, and picking the battles that you choose to fight. I love her mantra "don't just moan, do something". | |||
| 17 May 2024 | How to get into medical education leadership. With Komal Atta. Episode 88 | 00:28:22 | |
How do you get into leadership roles in medical education? In this episode, Komal Atta tells me that you need to be a good negotiator, open to change, and willing to experiment. We discuss how at the start of one's career it's good to have an overview of all different facets of education, but with seniority it better to become a real expert in one specific area. We talk about publishing in medical education, and discuss the importance of networking. Listen at https://matdaniel.net/podcast/; https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8uLaUU1g5bYTRVuwUX7j?si=672ec26a73164d7f; https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/doctors-at-work/id1701284564; or watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos. | |||
| 24 May 2024 | How to make creative ideas happen. With David Tamale-Sali. Episode 90 | 00:42:13 | |
David noticed a problem, got an idea, and brought it to fruition. The result was a book featuring 100 different voices and aiming to improve doctors' wellbeing. In this episode, we talk about creativity - we all already are creative. It is important to notice to what excites and frustrates us, and to wake up and bring our whole selves to work. Great ideas might be sabotaged by fear of failure or worrying about what others think, but he advises that we cannot please everyone, and the attitude of trial and error is more important than aiming for perfect outcomes. | |||
| 28 May 2024 | How to be a great team leader. With Declan Woods. Episode 91 | 00:43:15 | |
As doctors our training focuses on clinical skills, yet sooner or later we all find ourselves in a position of being a team leader. In this episode, Declan tells me that leadership is a different set of skills, and one that can be learnt and developed. A mindset of listening, asking questions, and being open to try things is important, and modelling psychological safety through acknowledging uncertainties is key to creating an environment where others feel safe to belong and speak up. I love his idea that leadership is something that can move around the team depending on what is needed and what expertise team members have. Perhaps a key insight is noticing what's going on in the team, what it is that the team needs, and asking how things could be better. Listen at https://matdaniel.net/podcast/; https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8uLaUU1g5bYTRVuwUX7j?si=672ec26a73164d7f; https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/doctors-at-work/id1701284564; or watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos. | |||
| 31 May 2024 | How to make career decisions. With Giles Croft. Episode 93 | 00:41:23 | |
For many doctors a career in medicine seems like a conveyor belt, but increasingly people are willing to take stock and consider what it is that they want in their lives, and what kind of a career suits them. This may be decisions relating to specialties, locations, allied roles, leadership roles, or wholesale changes. In this episode, Giles Croft tells me about career decisions that he has made. We identify that slowing down matters, happiness is an inside job, and we create a six point plan for career transitions. | |||
| 29 May 2024 | How to be an authentic leader. With Ross McIntosh. Episode 92 | 00:39:02 | |
Leadership is a key quality that all doctors need to posses. But sometime it is challenging to lead in a way that sits comfortably with you, whilst accepting the external reality. In this podcast, Ross tells me that authentic leadership is about specifically choosing the best response for a situation, based on what matters to each person as an individual. We talk about values, psychological flexibility, and he shares his top tips. | |||
| 21 May 2024 | How can senior doctors support early career doctors? With Ollie Burton. Episode 89 | 00:49:35 | |
Being an early career doctor is a stressful time, and how medical work is structured may lead to few opportunities for support. Ollie Burton and I discuss that despite workload challenges, senior doctors can seek and create opportunities to support and train younger colleagues. This requires clinical leadership, and real understanding that training must be prioritises in order to develop future clinicians. You can find out more about Mat at www.MatDaniel.net. | |||
| 04 Jun 2024 | How to deal with burnout. With Ami Foster. Episode 94 | 00:42:49 | |
Burnout affects many professionals in healthcare. In this episode, Ami Foster and I discuss how to spot when you are in the middle of it, and what can be done about it. Better than dealing with burnout would be prevention. We talk about how as doctors we are constantly on sympathetic system over-drive, but actually we need to invest in our wellbeing for the sake of the future including our own career success and longevity. The reality is that the world will always want more from us, so it is for us to put in some boundaries and strategies to help set us up for short-term and long-term success. It's not selfish to practice self-care, and you can be both patient focused and interested in your own wellbeing. | |||
| 07 Jun 2024 | How to have a portfolio career. With Tommy Perkins. Episode 95 | 00:28:02 | |
Tommy is a GP and the co-founder of Medics' Money (https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/) . In this episode, we talk about portfolio careers. He tells me where the initial ideas for his business came from, and how even a weakness can become translated into a unique advantage. We discuss how to progress an idea, and what happens as the business grows. And we talk about how to balance the time and energy to work towards enjoying both the clinical career and the side venture. | |||
| 11 Jun 2024 | How to plan your retirement. With Nitin Shrotri. Episode 96 | 00:28:54 | |
In this episode, Nitin talks about his retirement. Whilst he has finished clinical work, he remains involved in professional aspects of medicine. He outlines the challenges of going from being a consultant to, as he puts it, nothing, and stresses the importance of people both peri and post-retirement. | |||
| 14 Jun 2024 | How to be an inclusive leader. With Rebecca Jones. Episode 97 | 00:39:42 | |
In this episode, Professor Rebecca Jones and I discuss inclusive leadership. She tells me that inclusive leadership is about enabling everyone to contribute and be their authentic self. In order to generate the best team performance possible, inclusive leaders need to be focused on enabling everyone to contribute, and ask what this person brings rather than merely focused on how they fit in. Whilst it may be more difficult to display inclusive behaviours during times of stress, it is our own responsibility to educate ourselves, develop self insight, and have the curiosity and courage to include every team member. Website: https://inclusiveleadershipcompany.com/ Inclusive leadership research paper: https://inclusiveleadershipcompany.com/the-inclusive-leader-system/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-jones-35ab8526/
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| 18 Jun 2024 | How to deal with impostor syndrome. With Valerie Young. Episode 98 | 00:27:37 | |
In this episode, I am having a conversation with Dr Valerie Young who is a world thought leader on impostor syndrome. She tells me that impostor syndrome is about feeling that you are not as good as others, attributing your successes to external factors, and a pervasive fear of being found out. It is common in healthcare professionals, linked at least partially to the stakes being high, and our culture of criticising each other. Dealing with impostor syndrome requires recognition that it is common, and normalising it's presence. It requires reframing to a humble realist response where people have a realistic appraisal of their skills and a healthy response to feedback. And it requires separation of feelings of confidence from actual competence, they two are not the same, and thinking and acting competent is likely to come before one feels confident. If you liked this episode you might also like episodes 19 and 69 on the inner critic. | |||
| 10 Jul 2024 | How to navigate the maternity transition. With Frances Cushway. Episode 101 | 00:38:07 | |
Frances is a maternity coach, and in this episode we discuss how to successfully navigate the maternity transition. Frances tells me that planning is key, before the maternity leave even starts. Becoming a mother is a transition, and everyone experiences it differently. There is no right way to return to work; planning ahead helps, as does a discussions about what the woman's career will be like on returning from maternity. | |||