HOW DID YOU GET TO BECOME A SURGEON ON THE SUNSHINE COAST?
I was educated in Brisbane and commenced medicine at the University of Queensland in 1980. After graduating I worked at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and always had a passion to become a surgeon as I enjoyed the principles of operating, the black and white nature of surgery and the ability to significantly improve peoples’ lives through operating. I then travelled for a couple of years and then returned to the Royal Brisbane Hospital as a training Registrar and embarked upon my surgical training.
I finished my surgical training at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and obtained my college certification which is to be a Fellow of the Royal College of Australian Surgeons in 1995. I then went and studied abroad for 2 years at Bath and then Edinburgh where I was a Senior Registrar and got involved with upper gastro-intestinal surgery and that became my area of interest and passion. During that time, I saw the evolution of laparoscopic or keyhole surgery and saw that was a way for the future. I returned to Australia as Director at the QE2 Hospital in Brisbane and spent a year as Director and then ventured to the Sunshine Coast where I wanted to reside in 1998 and have lived there since with my wife and four children.
My interest in bariatric surgery began seeing gastric bands with one of my mentors and I started doing these in 1999, since that time bariatric surgery has become a considerable interest and part of my practice and has evolved over the last 20 year where we now do laparoscopic bands, laparoscopic sleeves and laparoscopic bypass and it certainly is a significant area of practice. I enjoy general surgery and will continue to practice with my main focus in bariatric surgery and upper gastro-intestinal.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I live rurally on acreage so most of my spare time is outdoors mowing on a tractor or gardening which I have got an avid interest in. I also have a local band that I play guitar and do vocals and I enjoy all things about the ocean in particular surfing. I also have a real interest in snow-skiing and take most years on the snow fields in winter.
WHAT IS AT THE TOP OF YOUR BUCKET LIST?
At the moment it would be looking at the walking tour along the Amalfi Coast and through Tuscany.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD?
My favourite food would probably be Morton Bay Bugs and the Mooloolaba Prawns.
FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION?
My favourite holiday destination I would have to say I really enjoy both the ocean and snow, so we often ourselves surf locally at the beach or at North Stradbroke Island. The beaches around Byron are also quite spectacular. With skiing I would have to say Whistler would be by favourite skiing destination.
WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING MEDICAL ARTICLE YOU HAVE READ RECENTLY?
I have read a number of articles about the rise of robotic surgery which has become an area of interest to me which I will look at further training in the future and it possibly is the next evolution in terms of surgery using robots to help and certainly is an area that interests me at the moment.