Pre-planning is vital if you want to work abroad as a medic in a humanitarian role. You can just pick up sticks and go but it is far better to plan 18 months to two years in advance and know what you want to do and what you want to achieve – whether that is […]
I absolutely loved being an expedition doctor. The first time I realised how many opportunities there were for medics who wanted adventure was in 2010. I applied for a voluntary position with the charity Raleigh International coordinating medical help for young trekkers in Borneo. Although the job was only for three months, I took a full year out between jobs […]
Traditional cures have been used for hundreds of years to ease aches and pains, reduce inflammation and even get rid of warts. We asked Dr Rob Hicks GP and broadcaster, and Christine Scallan, folk medicine expert to give their verdicts on these folk popular cures. Rub a matchstick on a wart to make it vanish CHRISTINE: The abrasive […]
We live in a fast-moving world. Somehow we never have enough time to eat properly, sleep for long enough, talk to our families or just sit and enjoy some guilt-free leisure time. The quick fix lifestyle is now the only way most of us can get by. We have cars and planes to help us […]
On 29th June, a new exhibition ‘Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care’ opened at the Science Museum, London marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care draws from the museum’s collections to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and explores the remarkable medical innovations in […]
Micro-exercising has become a popular way for people who are hard pressed for time to increase their cardiovascular fitness. Busy doctors and nurses and healthcare workers easily fall into this category. You don’t have to exercise for a minimum of 10 minutes to get the benefits, according to experts and there is a slew of new workouts which offer […]
Doctors and healthcare workers need to accept that they are at risk of being sued or having a complaint made against them. It is one of the downsides of being a professional. As a barrister, I accept this risk every time I give legal advice. There are lawyers who specialise in suing other lawyers, and […]
Bad behaviour may be wired into adolescent brains early in life, according to a study which we published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Young men with persistent behavioural problems, including destructive behaviour and lying and stealing, seem to have brains which differ significantly in structure from those of their better-behaved peers. We used MRI scans to look at […]
Anyone can snore, but, according to the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA), more than two-thirds of snorers are men. ‘Men are more likely to carry weight around their neck and throat, and are more likely to drink and smoke – all factors that contribute to snoring,’ admits Marianne Davey, co-founder of the BSSAA. […]
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer and a diagnosis of this disease usually means a short life expectancy of a few months. The 5-year survival rate even for people with operable disease, treated with surgery and chemotherapy is only 20 per cent and only one percent of those diagnosed at late stage 4 […]