In this episode I chat with Dr Mark Priestley, Chair of the Leadership and Management Special Interest Group (LAMSIG), Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (ASMOF) NSW and ANZCA Councillor.We are chatting about one of my favourite topics – leadership!

We go through my 4 part leadership curriculum, the importance of identifying core personal values, his work based on the book “Crucial Conversations” and navigating media when speaking out.

Want to continue discussing leadership?

Listen to Episode 83 where I chat with Professor Nina Deutsch and Assoc Prof Larry Schwarz about the Women’s Empowerment and Leadership Initiative

Dr Priestley hosts a leadership and management discussion at the ASA’s 2025 National Scientific Congress (NSC). The videos from the 2025 NSC are due out in August. ASA members can access them here.

The leadership collection of the Australian Anaesthesia podcast can be found on the LAMSIG webpage.

Find out more about AUS-NZ WELI and apply to join here.

I chat with Dr David Borshoff about the latest edition of the Anaesthetic Crisis Manual. This edition includes a new 'Prevention' section, collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and comes out in 2 versions: International and North American.

As an ASA member, you are eligible for a FREE(!) or discounted Manual. Contact asa@asa.org.au for more details.

Not a member? Find out about more benefits of being a member here:

https://asa.org.au/types-of-membership

Key Takeaways

Cognitive aids like the Anesthetic Crisis Manual reduce cognitive load and anxiety during crises by providing systematic reassurance rather than replacing clinical judgment.

Simplicity in crisis management protocols requires substantial effort— Dr Borshoff spent nine months updating the fourth edition with fellowship-level study commitment to distill information to essential directives.

Team communication and psychological safety are critical; the anaesthetic technician's willingness to speak up during Dr Borshoff's front-of-neck access directly contributed to patient survival.

Passion projects and creative outlets in medicine maintain professional engagement and curiosity, preventing burnout while advancing patient safety and departmental culture.

Accessibility matters: offering manuals free to trainees and discounted to members embeds cognitive aid culture into the profession from early career stages.

Quotable Moments

"None of us are infallible 100% of the time."

"When you're cognitively loaded, you want to be making as few decisions as possible so that you can stick to the big stuff."

"The crisis manual is there to support the clinical acumen and the decision making of the doctor. It's not the other way around."

"If you've got something that you're passionate about, then you're prepared to do the work and you don't realise how many hours are ticking away while you're doing it."

"Why don't you just do it properly, doc?" — The anaesthetic technician's intervention that broke Borshoff's fixation error during emergency front-of-neck access.

Some other episodes you might enjoy:

Ep25. The Anaesthetic Crisis Manual with Dr David Borshoff

Ep78. AMAX4 - a cognitive aid for anaphylaxis with Dr Ben McKenzie

Find the Anaesthetic Crisis Manual and other Crisis Manuals here: https://leeuwinpress.com.au/

We welcome any feedback: podcast@asa.org.au

We have a new wellbeing webpage!

In this episode I chat with Dr Lan-Hoa Le, Chair of the ASA's Wellbeing Advocates Committee. She has been busy curating a webpage with a tonne of useful resources from crisis helplines, peer support programs and mindfulness training. There is something there for everyone, whether you or a colleague would appreciate some confidential support, you are interested in supporting others or you already have a well established interest and role in developing wellbeing in the workplace.

We welcome all anaesthetists and those that support us to visit the webpage, regardless of your ASA membership status. You can find it here.

Everymind's guide to language and suicide

Ep33. Substance use disorder: A personal perspective with Dr Colin Baird

Ep84. Ahpra with AMA Policy Manager Nick Elmitt

Donate to or seek assistance from the ASA Benevolent Fund.

Who likes the idea of excessive waste in healthcare? Especially when it is something that can impact our colleagues and has negative climate effects?

In this episode I chat with Dr Ethan Fitzclarence, from Perth, Western Australia about an audit he conducted as part of his anaesthetic training. He discovered an astounding amount of nitrous oxide was being leaked to the atmosphere.

We discuss his methodology, the health impacts of nitrous oxide waste and the growing movement to toward decommissioning pipeline systems in favour of cylinder-based delivery.

Read our Joint Statement on decommissioning nitrous oxide medical gas pipeline systems.

For this work, Dr Fitzclarence won the Nerida Dilworth prize - congratulations! Find more information about this and other ASA research prizes here.

The accompanying poster to the podcast can be found in the March 2026 edition of Australian Anaesthetist. The September 2022 edition is all about environmental sustainability and where you can read more about this and other initiatives undertaken by anaesthetists. Both are available on the ASA website.

Learn more about other ways to get involved in an audit as a trainee:

Ep69. Talking TRA2SH - trainee led research into sustainability in healthcare with Dr Jess Davies

Welcome to 2026!

In this episode I chat with Dr Andrea Binks, an anaesthetist and accomplished yoga facilitator from Wollongong, NSW. Dr. Binks shares her unconventional journey into anaesthesia, transitioning from physician and cardiology training in the UK to intensive care and eventually anaesthesia. I learn how yoga has been a constant in her life since childhood, evolving from a personal practice to teaching qualification, and how it now informs her approach to patient care.

We explore the intersection of trauma-informed yoga practices and anaesthetic practice, the use of invitational language, and the importance of patient autonomy, and creating safe spaces for vulnerable patients.

Episodes you may want to enjoy after this one:

Ep98. Coaching for Doctors with Dr Anne Frankl

Ep83. The Women's Empowerment and Leadership Initiative (WELI) with Prof Nina Deutsch & A/Prof Larry Schwartz

Ep106. Anaesthesia Unlocked: Fast-tracking IMGs in Australia with Prof David Story

Find out more about the Australian and New Zealand chapter of WELI - Women's Empowerment and Leadership Initiative

We welcome new members and any feedback.

https://asa.org.au/types-of-membership/how-to-join/

podcast@asa.org.au

I catch up with Professor Tim Cook, of the UK National Audit Projects live at the Australian Society of Anaesthetists' National Scientific Congress (NSC). We discuss his incredible work, his ideas of success and what risk in anaesthesia mean to him.

ASA branded scrubs are here! Only available to ASA members. Get your discounted scrubs with free embroidery here.

https://asa.org.au/your-asa-advantage-program#scrubs

Professor Cook's talk from the NSC is available to be viewed on demand. If you haven't already registered, you can do so here: https://asansc.com.au/registration/

3 other episodes to listen to:

Ep54: webAIRS with Prof Martin Culwick

Ep79: webAIRS: jaw dislocation

Ep111: The GLP-1 Revolution: What it Means for Anaesthesia with Dr Doug Hacking

Want to access more resources? Become an ASA member!

We welcome any feedback.

podcast@asa.org.au

In this episode:

• The last of my thought bubble talks on how to introduce yourself with confidence and clarity
• Some tips on balancing an academic research career and clinical medicine
• Changing from one medical specialty (e.g. paediatrics) to another (e.g anaesthesia)

I'm chatting with Dr Doug Hacking, paediatrician, anaesthetist, researcher. We are discussing GLP-1 receptor agonists and what they mean for anaesthesia. This is based on his editorial in the September 2025 edition of the scientific journal, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care.

ASA Members! Are you interested in learning more about gastric POCUS? At the end of the podcast I share with you an exclusive offer that will save you hundreds of dollars.

Link to Prof Dariush Mozaffarian podcast on the health harms of unprocessed foods and ralated policies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaiGzkKIgbc

The exclusive ASA gastric POCUS offer: https://www.asahq.org/education-and-career/educational-and-cme-offerings/gastric-pocus

Become an ASA member to access these resources and more: https://asa.org.au/types-of-membership/how-to-join/

We welcome any feedback: podcast@asa.org.au

In this episode I hand the mic over to Dr Tom Neal-Williams, an anaesthetic trainee and hard working member of the ASA Communications Committee to be a guest host on the podcast. He is talking with Professor Ed Mariano, regional anaesthesia guru, researcher, leader and educator and gaining tips on how he navigates his career.

I also share some thoughts on vocal fry.

This episode was recorded live at the ASA's National Scientific Congress in Canberra.

If you want to watch Professor Mariano's talks from the Congress (and I suggest you do), you can register for access here: https://asansc.com.au/registration/

Join the ASA to have access to more great educational content: https://asa.org.au/types-of-membership/how-to-join/

We welcome any feedback. Email us ! podcast@asa.org.au