I don’t know what to do with my life. I love surgery and I love people. It is frequently implied to me, without much subtlety, that those values are steeply at odds. “Surgery? I’m surprised! You’re so patient, you take time to explain things, and you don’t seem to get frustrated.” The resident had just met […]
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The Reading Room: A review of Matilda Tristram’s ‘Probably Nothing’
Probably Nothing: A diary of not-your-average nine months Matilda Tristram Reviewed by Nicola Streeten Aged 31 and four months pregnant, Matilda Tristram was presented with an agonising dilemma following a diagnosis of stage three bowel cancer. In May 2013, The Guardian newspaper featured an interview with Matilda Tristram (Williams, 2014). It included an […]
Cassandra (Royal Opera House): A Review by Rory Conn and Chloe Bulwer
Twenty years ago the ‘National Attitudes to Mental Illness Report’ was established. This annual survey, funded by the Department of Health, was devised to monitor changes in public opinion, recognised at the time to be primarily driven by misunderstanding and stigma. On World Mental Health Day 2014, the latest in a series of encouraging figures […]
Who are we as Doctors? Why an exploration of our significance can lead to better care by Benjamin Janaway
Recently I lost a patient. A lady in her 60’s whose hand I held for months and who’s passing will stand as a turning point in my career. Having spent several months working in oncology my view of the role of a doctor has been tested time and time again. Publically observed heuristics of the […]
The Reading Room
The Bad Doctor A graphic novel by Ian Williams Reviewed by Dr Ian Fussell The Bad Doctor is the debut graphic novel by Ian Williams, himself a pretty good doctor, I reckon, by the insight and humanity shown throughout this book. It was published in June 2014 by Myriad Editions and is a […]
Tender: On Taking Ownership of Death and Dying by Catherine Oakley
Lynette Wallworth’s Tender: On taking ownership of death and dying A particular highlight in the documentary category at this year’s BFI London Film Festival was the UK premiere of Tender, which follows a community group in the Australian town of Port Kembla as it seeks to establish its own, not-for-profit, bespoke funeral service. Directed by […]
Neurological Disorders on Film by Catherine Oakley
Neurological Disorders on Film at the 58th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival, October 2014 Film and television have long explored narratives involving neurological disorders, but have achieved only patchy success in engaging with the emotional, physical and social implications of this category of impairments. The BFI London Film Festival (LFF) has previously proven […]
CFP: Postgraduate Medical Humanities Conference 2015 (University of Exeter, 20-21 July 2015)
CFP: Postgraduate Medical Humanities Conference 2015 University of Exeter, 20-21 July 2015 Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Professor Stuart Murray, University of Leeds Dr Roberta Bivins, University of Warwick Building on the success of last year’s Postgraduate Medical Humanities Conference, this conference aims to bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines in a manner that reflects […]
Stroke, music and love: The Possibilities Are Endless
Following Andrew Marr’s recent stroke and successful return to work, stroke and its consequences have been a national topic; stroke survivors and their families in the UK have gained hope that a stroke does not necessarily mean an end to one’s career or life. On the 29th of October 2014, the World Stroke Organization (WSO) […]
Poetry, Science and Medicine
Through the Door is a collaborative project involving Archives for London and Poet in the City. Six poets have been commissioned to create new works based on archives that include those of St Paul’s Cathedral and The British Library. This week I attended a reading from the selection of poems – The Bone Ship […]