94 - Michael Clifford - A paediatric intensivist willing to talk about his mental health

In this episode, you'll hear from a wise and thoughtful paediatric intensivist.

Michael Clifford is a Paediatric Intensivist and Anaesthetist from the Royal Children's Hospital and Monash Childrens Hospital, Melbourne. Mike has recently finished his term as a CICM Examiner for both the Paediatric Fellowship and the CICM Primary exams. He is a keen teacher with a passion for the basic sciences and how they can inform our clinical practise. He sees every ward round as an opportunity for teaching the primary syllabus - and reminding non-paediatricians of the wonders of breast milk. He is a regular on the Paediatrica Intensiva podcast and has also appeared on Swapnil Pawar's ICU Primary prepcast. More recently he has become an open advocate of discsussions around neurodivergence and mental health in doctors in anaesthesia and critical care.

In our conversation, Michael talks about:

• How he became a paediatric intensivist and why he loves it
• The essential differences between managing children and adults
• His thoughts on interacting with the parents of sick children
• How his ward rounds have changed
• His mental health experience in recent times
• Remembering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
• What he’s observed with mental health awareness
• Modern adaptations to sick leave in doctors
• How he looks after his health
• The benefits of no longer drinking alcohol
• What brings him joy, particularly at work
• The value of a human-oriented approach to ICU care
• What older intensivists might do
• Career advice for trainees and fellows

Thank you for listening to Dr Michael Clifford.

Andrew Davies

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About the Mastering Intensive Care podcast: The podcast aims to inspire and empower you, through conversations about the human side of Intensive Care, to bring your best self to work, with a focus on compassion, collaboration and personal wellbeing.

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Relevant links

Dr Michael Clifford

Mastering Intensive Care podcast

Mastering Intensive Care page on Facebook

Mastering Intensive Care at Life In The Fast Lane

Andrew Davies on X (Twitter): @andrewdavies66

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Audio Producer Chris Burke

Burke Sound & Media