The Operating List

What does life as a surgical registrar actually look like? In this episode of The Operating List, Vincent sits down with Dr. Kei Woldendorp, a cardiothoracic registrar approaching his fellowship exam, for an honest conversation about the realities of registrar life! Vincent and Dr. Kei discuss working hours, surgical training pressure, personal and career growth, and the moments that make it all w...

Consultant paediatric surgeon Dr. Damir Ljuhar discusses his top tips and advice for medical students starting surgical placement with a paediatric surgery team. Angus and Dr. Damir discuss the best ways for students to stand out and make a good impression, and common pitfalls to avoid. They also discuss good pre-learning topics to read up on before starting your rotation, and making a good impres...

In this episode of The Operating List , Ivone sits down with Dr Justin Hsieh, a first-year General Surgery Registrar, to discuss how medical students can make the most of their surgical placements and stand out in a busy clinical environment. Dr. Justin shares practical advice on approaching the surgical team, building trust, and finding meaningful ways to contribute on the ward, in clinic, and in...

In this episode, Dr Jade Moody shares practical advice for medical students looking to make the most of their Orthopaedics placements. Drawing on her experiences as an orthopaedic registrar, she discusses how students can prepare for time in theatre and on the wards, and the attitudes and behaviours that leave a positive impression on surgical teams!

Starting clinical placement can be exciting, but it can also come with a lot of uncertainty. What should I know? How do I get involved? Am I being helpful, or am I just in the way? In this episode of Pre-Placement Panic , First sits down with Dr Ishith “Ish” Seth, a Plastic Surgery Registrar at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Honorary Plastic Surgery Research Fellow at Peninsula Health and Aus...

In this episode, Dr Uren shares her insights into building a successful career in O&G, drawing on decades of experience practising and teaching across Victoria, New South Wales, and overseas, as well as supervising hundreds of registrars throughout her career. Vincent and Dr Uren discuss what the early years of training really look like, how the specialty has evolved over time, and the qualiti...

In this episode of The Operating List , Angus sits down with Dr Damir Ljuhar, a consultant paediatric surgeon who recently passed his fellowship exams, to discuss the realities of training in one of surgery’s most demanding and rewarding specialties. Dr Ljuhar reflects on his pathway into paediatric surgery, the evolving structure of training, and the challenges of progressing through a highly com...

In this episode, First sits down with Dr Ishith Seth, a plastic surgery registrar at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Honorary Plastic Surgery Research Fellow at Peninsula Health and Austin Health. Dr Ish has has completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Doctor of Medicine at Sydney and Master of Surgery at Monash University, and is currently finishing a PhD focused on Dupuytren’s disease...

In this episode of The Operating List , we sit down with neurosurgeon Dr James Dimou to explore the long and demanding pathway through neurosurgical training. Dr Dimou discusses the realities of progressing through one of surgery’s most competitive specialties, reflecting on the challenges of balancing clinical work, research, and personal life while navigating training across Australia and overse...

In this episode, Nadia sits down with Dr Jade Moody, an orthopaedics registrar working at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle NSW.  They discuss what the job involves day to day, and the process of applying to the orthopaedics training program. Dr. Moody reflects on the path she has taken from medical school to get to where she is today, and offers advice for any medical students interested in a...

In this episode, Ivone sits down with Dr James Colbourne, a SET3 vascular registrar, to discuss what training in vascular surgery is really like. They explore the structure of registrar life, including on-call work and the challenge of maintaining work-life balance. The conversation also covers the breadth of vascular surgery, from major limb amputations to complex open aortic aneurysm repairs. Ja...

In this episode, Ivone sits down with Dr Justin Hsieh, a first-year general surgery registrar, to explore the realities of stepping into surgical training. Justin shares an honest perspective on the transition from junior doctor to registrar, including the shift in responsibility and expectations, and the steep learning curve that comes with taking on a more senior role. We discuss the highs and l...

In this episode, Angus and Nadia explore a new and evolving approach to medical education in Australia. We’re joined by the Dean and CEO of NewMed, a proposed national medical school aiming to rethink how doctors are trained, proposing a model centred on early, local clinical immersion and small-group online learning. Together, we discuss: How the NewMed model differs from traditional Australian m...

We’re joined by Dr. Zsolt Balogh, a trauma surgeon working at the forefront of one of the most high-stakes areas in medicine. In this episode, we dive into the fast-paced world of trauma care — from how teams prepare for critical, seconds-matter situations, to the decision-making behind managing polytrauma and life-threatening injuries. We unpack the priorities of the primary survey, the principle...

We’re back with Dr Joseph Jaya, this time exploring the surgical management of small bowel obstruction, one of the most common conditions in general surgery. In this episode, we focus specifically on obstruction caused by anterior hernias. Dr Jaya takes us through the condition from initial history and examinations to the key investigations, before explaining in detail how the surgery is performed...

This episode features a coffee chat with Dr Joseph Jaya, a General Surgery Registrar at Monash Health, currently completing his PhD while also serving as the Chief Surgical Registrar. He shares both his medical and personal journey, along with valuable insights and advice for medical students interested in pursuing a career in surgery. Enjoy the episode, and keep an ear out for the wisdom he share...

We’re joined by Dr. Ethem Ibrahim, a colorectal surgeon with a passion for tackling some of the most complex abdominal presentations. In this episode, we unpack the journey of managing colorectal tumors—from red flag symptoms and diagnostic work-up, to staging, surgical options, and handling metastatic spread. Whether you're a student or junior doctor, this conversation is packed with practica...

In this episode of The Operating List , Vivian sits down with final-year medical students Alison and Madara to unpack their international elective insights from their time in Iloilo, Philippines. From surgical observations to navigating language barriers and experiencing the local culture, they share why international placements can form a valuable part of your medical journey. Tune in to hear how...

The Operating List is back for 2025! Kicking off the season, we’re joined by Aaron, a 4th-year medical student and the Vice President of ASSA. We chat about his journey through med school, what drew him to surgery, and what ASSA is doing for aspiring surgeons across Australasia. Don’t miss this insight-packed episode to start your year inspired.

Coffee Chat: "Are you an asipring eye surgeon but not sure what it takes to get there? Join ASSA as we pick the brain of Dr Mike Thabet, who recently accepted a position to be an ophthalmology trainee. We will chat about how to get onto training, what the training entails, and what it means to have a career in ophthalmolgy."

Med ED: "We all know someone who had cataract surgery. Have you every wondered how it's done? Join ASSA as we delve into the anatomy, indications, and step-by-step runthrough of the procedure with Dr Mike Thabet, a soon-to-be RANZCO trainee!"

The Operating List welcomes Dr Nikhil Chandra, a third year Cardiothoracic trainee in Wellington Hospital. Tune into this episode to hear about tips of getting onto surgical programmes, balancing work and life, and what the future holds for Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Ever wondered what your surgical rotation will be like? Want to make a great impression? Tune into this episode for all the tips & tricks about how to make the most of your surgical rotation in medical school! Our guest Ebony Layton, a 4th-year medical student at UQ, opens up about the experiences she’s had as well as the do’s and don’t’s of general surgery.

In this episode, we are once again joined by Dr. Theepan Balasubramaniam, a distinguished orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon at Eastern Health. Our discussion centers on Dr. Theepan’s specialty, focusing specifically on ankle surgery. We explore common ankle fractures, the essentials of history taking and examination, and delve into specific surgical procedures for lateral malleolus fractures. Dr....

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Theepan Balasubramaniam, a distinguished orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon at Eastern Health. Dr. Theepan shares his journey to becoming an orthopaedic surgeon, reflecting on both the challenges and rewarding experiences he encountered during his training. He also offers valuable advice for students aspiring to specialize in orthopaedics. This episode provide...