Why are we so quick to criticise other doctors when things go wrong?
Why are we so ready to criticise colleagues? We’re encouraged to develop empathy for our patients. Why can’t we be empathetic towards each other? ×…
Medical Observer
Unique doctor-written opinion and analysis
The tragedy of baby Robbie: We need to talk about meningococcal B
Every doctor has patients they can’t forget. Sometimes, they are not even our own patients. But for all kinds of reasons, their stories stay with…
Albanese and Dutton scrub up for a Medicare face-off, but there’s more at stake in this election
With the first full week of the election campaign health has already become a key battleground for votes alongside tackling cost-of-living pressures. Prime Minister Anthony…
CPD is pointless: Here’s the personal experiment that confirmed my belief
At the end of each year, I find myself rushing around helping colleagues summon up enough CPD points to maintain their registration. It makes a…
We need an independent audit of fellowship exams to see if they’re fit for purpose
“Perfect happiness for student and teacher will come with the abolition of examinations, which are the stumbling blocks and rocks of offense in the pathway…
Medicare’s magical number factory: Why do bureaucrats trust doctors to save lives but not prescribe?
“Who are these people?” I wondered after I hung up the phone with ‘Charlene’ from the authority line. She had a cheerful voice and was,…
Why is it so hard to say no when patients demand unnecessary treatments?
We GPs are practical types. Not only do we like to tell people what to do, we also like having the skills to do things…
With VAD safeguards now seen as obstacles by pro-euthanasia doctors, I worry for vulnerable patients
Back in 2017, following a tough and taxing debate, Victoria became the first Australian state to legalise what proponents call voluntary assisted dying (VAD), and…
Let me ask this question: How productive has the patient safety movement been?
“Tragedy.” “Disaster.” “Incompetence.” Serious adverse events in healthcare create emotive news, inspire sympathy and anger, and can trigger sadness and frustration in healthcare providers. ×…
The idea that diagnostic certainty requires a ‘perfect’ medical history is flawed — let me explain
When I observe young GP registrars with patients, I see the immense weight they carry. I remember that feeling acutely: the pressure to make the…
