The Curious Medic

Today we are talking to the 16th Editor in Chief of the British Medical Journal, Dr. Fiona Godlee. The BMJ is one of the most influential medical journals globally with an impact factor of more than 30 at the time of recording, and Fiona is the first woman to have held this role.  She in an honorary professor at the Netherlands School for Primary Care Research and also sits on the Executive committees of the Climate and Health Council and the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change.  Fiona welcomed us to the lovely offices of the BMJ for this recording and we got a sneak peek at how this world-famous journal is run. I continue to be amazed at just how approachable the impressive guests we have on this podcast have been. In this interview, recorded in Spring 2019, we discuss amongst other things, the staff welfare situation in the NHS, the importance and challenges of editorial independence, and the role of doctors in the climate emergency. So, without any further ado: Fiona Godlee.

Today’s guest is the leading authority in health inequalities. If I listed all his achievements we’d be here all day, but just to give you a flavour, he has been president of the World Medical Associaton, the British Medical Association, and advises the British Government and the WHO. At the time of recording, September 2018, he was President of the British Lung Foundation, Chaired the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, and he continues to be Director of The UCL Institute of Health Equity. His work led to to his creation of the Marmot Principles, which are implemented by local councils across the UK. He’s written a variety of books, the most recent of which is the Health Gap - an absolute must read - it completely changed the way I look at health inequalities and what can be done about them. This journey all started when he graduated from medical school in 1968. This interview was recorded in September 2018. Please may I introduce - Professor Sir Michael Marmot. The Health Gap https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-health-gap/michael-marmot/9781408857977

Today's guest is one of the most influential doctors in British healthcare. She’s the ex-director of UCL Medical school, co-authored the GALS Screen, conducted a plethora of work into the effects of gender and ethnicity on careers and is the ex-director of UCL Medical School. You probably know her best though, as recently having finished her term as the President of the Royal College of Physicians - only the 3rd female president in its 500 year history. This is all on top of continuing to practice and teach Rheumatology at the Whittington Hospital - I’ve actually been taught by her myself. This episode was recorded in May 2018, toward the end of her term. She kindly invited us to her beautiful office at the RCP for this interview. We discuss standing up to seniors, the overuse of guidelines, a time when she considered leaving medicine altogether, and much much more. I think you’ll enjoy it.

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