Everyone, and I mean everyone - Government, the ASA, AMA, ANZCA and other Colleges - is talking about anaesthesia workforce in Australia. We have a shortage. We have a maldistribution, with not enough anesthetists in regional Australia.

What is the solution? Nurse anaesthetists? Career medical officers? Importing anaesthetists from overseas - otherwise known as International Medical Graduates or IMGs?

In this episode I chat with current ANZCA President (and conflict of interest - my boss at the University of Melbourne) about the process that has recently commenced by the Medical Board of Australia to expedite the recognition of overseas anaesthetists here in Australia.

Find out more about the process here: https://www.anzca.edu.au/getContentAsset/0d0a59e7-0a91-4dfc-bb02-561fae80d398/80feb437-d24d-46b8-a858-4a2a28b9b970/Expedited-SIMG-pathway-ANZCA-information-update-Mar-2025-Final.pdf?language=en

Learn about the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) recommendations to meet the workforce challenge: https://asa.org.au/publications/anaesthetist-workforce-modelling

CPD Home is free to ASA members! Make it easy to stay compliant and fulfill your Continuing Professional Development requirements: https://www.cpdhome.org.au/

Come and listen to Dr Pip Lane, amazing leader, as she describes how she built this amazing service which enables timely intravenous access and reduces needle related trauma in women and children.

I'm not alone in finding this service impressive. It has won many awards in South Australia and nationally.

Two of the big contributors to Dr Lane's success was having Clinical Support/Non-Clinical Time (CST/NCT). Paid Non-Clinical time is a direct result of advocacy undertaken by the Australian Medical Association (AMA)/Australian Salaried Medical Officer's Federation (ASMOF). Show your gratitude for receiving this and other workplace protections by joining the AMA:

https://www.ama.com.au/join-the-ama

The Persuasion and Influence Masterclass is on offer at the 2025 ASA National Scientific Congress. Secure your place (and meet me there!) by registering here:

https://asansc.com.au/

Share and develop your leadership skills by joining WELI. Men and women are welcome. Find out more in Ep83

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1c43eb90-20ac-4cac-b915-ee46a326f798/

and by visiting

https://ausnzweli.org/

Come Together for the Australian Society of Anaesthetists' National Scientific Congress (NSC) in Canberra.

To be held from Thursday 2nd October - Sunday 5th October. It is during the school holidays for some states, so get those leave requests in, if you haven't already.

Join NSC Convenor Dr Girish Palnitkar as we dive into what makes Canberra so special and what we can look forward to during the NSC.

See you at the Gala Dinner at Parliament House - I can't wait!

Register here: https://asansc.com.au/

Advanced Recovery Room Care (ARRC) is a concept that has changed the way I think about our model of care when it comes to or surgical patients.

Come and meet the man behind the concept, Professor Guy Ludbrook. We discuss his ideas on innovation and dive into ARRC.

Email podcast@asa.org.au for more information or an introduction

Have you ever wondered whether you have made the right career choice?

What if your passion was for a totally different career?

And after graduating from 2 Ivy League universities and achieving success in a highly competitive sub specialty field, could you give it up to follow your passion?

I explore all this and more with Dr Shari Hall who left anaesthesia to fulfill her dreams.

"Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?" Henry David Thoreau

That's the opening quote from this video made by the Cleveland Clinic. I encourage you to watch it.

https://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8?si=OIns_-f4LtyVqWXD

Dr Sarah Lee, an anaesthetist in Melbourne and tour de force in bringing accessible, interesting and practical CPD meetings to you. And they qualify for those hard to get Practice Audit CPD points!

(To be eligible for those points, you'll need to do the pre-meeting survey and participate in the meeting).

The next ADVANCE meeting is on Monday 26th May 2025 and is on thoracic anaesthesia.

Contact us on podcast@asa.org.au for the registration link.

Missed out on the meeting and still want a refresher on thoracic anaesthesia? Refresh the basics and learn some tips in our Anaesthesia Recipe Book - its only for our members and can be found on the ASA website:

https://asa.org.au/asaeducation/anaesthesia-recipe-book

Mentioned in this episode:

Let me know if you're enjoying the podcast

The ASA member survey helps us know if we are delivering content that you find useful. How can we improve? Let us know! The survey closes on Friday 20th June, so don't delay. Look for an email sent by Survey Matters on Monday 26th May. Fill out your anonymous survey and go in the draw to win an NSC package worth up to $4000.

Pop the champagne and come and celebrate 100 episodes of the Australian Anaesthesia podcast with me!

Thank you to all the wonderful guests over the years, the Australian Society of Anaesthetists and most of all, YOU, for listening and supporting me and this podcast.

Here are the links to some of the episodes I mention:

Ep10: Fit Testing with Occupational Hygienist Kate Cole

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/c450e8f2-bc5c-46bf-9e2a-bd1ff60cc0aa/2020-0508-cole-respiratory-protection-final-tc.mp3

Ep44. Inside a COVID ECMO with Dr Ryan Salter

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/57ca5cdd-68e7-4175-acf9-0c2f0efdb2a6/asa-44v2.mp3

Ep59. Are you burnt out? with Dr Amy Imms

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/49902b7e-f0bc-429b-9999-cdf2c264ede3/EP59-20Are-20you-20burnt-20out-20AAP-converted.mp3

Ep64. I didn't pass my exam with Prof David Story

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/b3ec0d08-4d34-4f45-b417-ac217979226b/EP62-20I-20didn-27t-20pass-20my-20exam-20AAP-converted.mp3

Ep33. Substance use disorder: A personal perspective with Dr Colin Baird

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/a77b030a-5fbd-4b91-b5ef-4802588ac039/default-tc.mp3

The Wellbeing Playlist: https://acecc.org.au/special-interest-groups/wellbeing/

The Leadership & Management Playlist: https://acecc.org.au/special-interest-groups/leadership-management/

Ep41. The Secret Thoughts of Presidents: Dr Jannicke Mellin-Olsen from the WFSA

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/0a3e5307-8400-4925-a608-e649cfc13870/asa-41.mp3

Ep80. Theatre lights on... Antarctica! with Dr David Tian

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/6583bcfc-86b6-43d2-a169-1d0bb09042f3/EP80-Dr-David-Tian-AAP-2-converted.mp3

Ep25. The Anaesthetic Crisis Manual with Dr David Borshoff

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/9a23e649-031e-4a2f-a3ae-4c29a894a298/default-tc.mp3

Ep78. AMAX4 - a cognitive aid for anaphylaxis with Dr Ben McKenzie

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/693c6f91-dba4-4aeb-aa2c-135dcd76add4/EP77-AMAX4-AAP-converted.mp3

Ep50. How to become a specialist anaesthetist with guest host Chau

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/72f6f5b0-3923-423e-a0c1-4eb17cbe6fa6/asa-49-v2-with-nr.mp3

Ep70. From overseas to Austalian Specialist Anaesthetist with Dr Amritha

https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/f4f513f9-39af-4d88-968f-0f40dd9cdb54/EP70-v2.mp3

You know where to find the rest!

If not, please reach out to me on podcast@asa.org.au

Mentioned in this episode:

Let me know if you're enjoying the podcast

The ASA member survey helps us know if we are delivering content that you find useful. How can we improve? Let us know! The survey closes on Friday 20th June, so don't delay. Look for an email sent by Survey Matters on Monday 26th May. Fill out your anonymous survey and go in the draw to win an NSC package worth up to $4000.

You may have heard of the Lifebox oximeter but did you know that Lifebox has also developed a capnograph? Every day in our region, anaesthetics are being given without an oximeter or capnograph. And as you can imagine, the outcomes are not always great. Lifebox seeks to address this and may be the only not for profit dedicated to improving surgical and anaesthesia safety throughout the world.

Join me as I chat with Assoc Prof Rob McDougall, Member of the Lifebox Global Governance Council about the work of Lifebox. And of course we would love for you to be involved!

Thank you to Podcasthon for encouraging and supporting podcasters to raise awareness about their favourite charity.

To support our work and donate to Lifebox Australia New Zealand: https://members.anzca.edu.au/anzca/ANZCA/Donation/ANZCA/Donations_Standard/Donations/Donation_Options.aspx

All donations are tax deductible (for Australian tax residents)

Mentioned in this episode:

Let me know if you're enjoying the podcast

The ASA member survey helps us know if we are delivering content that you find useful. How can we improve? Let us know! The survey closes on Friday 20th June, so don't delay. Look for an email sent by Survey Matters on Monday 26th May. Fill out your anonymous survey and go in the draw to win an NSC package worth up to $4000.