Day: January 18, 2013

It was spring, a lovely warm spring morning like any other with the sun’s rays shining brightly through the bathroom window, but all was not well. Henry stood in front of the bathroom mirror, “Oh no, not again!” He exclaimed. Like a lot of teenagers, Henry has been suffering with acne. At first it was … Read more

A severe infection with aggressive flesh eating bacteria The video clip below documents an interesting case of an uncontrolled diabetic patient. He had a severe infection with aggressive flesh eating bacteria causing serious tissue damage and sepsis with an abscess forming. Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of infection as well as slower wound … Read more

I often get questions from students on how long it takes to become a doctor or an anesthetist or a surgeon – and the answer is: Forever! Let me explain? When you commit towards a career in medicine, you will have to study a certain number of years in medical school before you are qualified. … Read more

On rare occasion I have had the unpleasant task to go to family members waiting in front of the operation theatre and inform them that a loved one has passed away on the operating table. To witness the shock, pain, suffering and sorrow of the wife and children who have just heard that they have … Read more

Would you like to become an anesthetist? Or would you like to become a surgeon? Or how about becoming an oncologist, pathologist or registered professional nurse? Then pay close attention to this letter. This was my last patient on the operating list today: a 39 year old AIDS patient with a large cancerous growth on … Read more

One of the most difficult things about becoming and being a doctor is the demands on your time. As a surgeon, sometimes you have to get up in the middle of the night to go sort out an emergency. That has happened many many times in my career, but I’ll never forget a case I … Read more

Become a Paramedic Emergency medicine is a specialty of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of acute illnesses and injuries that require immediate medical attention. Accidents occur uninvited – that is why we call them accidents. Do you think you would thrive on the adrenaline and the fulfillment that comes from assisting injured … Read more

Hi there Apprentice Doctor! As a Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon, I do perform quite a number of jaw reconstructions. We use Titanium dental implants. About 30 years ago if a patient lost all their teeth, they only had one option, and that was to wear full dentures (false teeth) for the rest of their lives. … Read more

Hi there apprentice doctor! With the previous newsletter we did quite a tricky suturing technique. For this month’s newsletter we will be considering the drug industry. Pharmacological companies are multi-multi-billion dollar companies producing wonderful and unfortunately not-so-wonderful drugs for the spectrum of disciplines in modern medicine! What follows is merely my personal point of view. … Read more