We have a departure from normal programming with an episode from our friends at TopMedTalk. Andy Cumpstey spoke to Joe Alderman at the RCoA's Anaesthesia Research 2025 event about the challenges of AI in healthcare in an episode first released in February 2026.

Dr Alderman started his career in cell biology and immunometabolism and is an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Anaesthetics and Postdoctoral Researcher in AI and Digital Health.

Joe gives a nuanced and thoughtful perspective on why and how AI can fail to benefit patients, and how to address this gap. This TopMedTalk interview is a fascinating insight into a fast-moving and very current topic.

Useful Links:

• TopMedTalk episode page
• Evidence-based perioperative medicine (EBPOM)
• Anaesthesia Research 2026
• Dr Joe Alderman staff page (University of Birmingham)

In this episode Dr Eoin Dore discusses wellbeing at work with Society of Occupational Medicine President Professor Neil Greenberg, and RCoA Wellbeing Lead Dr Ramai Santhirapala. They discuss the definition of wellbeing, how it relates to work, parallels between mental health in the military and civilian life, 'moral injury', and much more.

This interview follows the publication of the College's recent report on wellbeing, burnout and retention - an analysis from the 2025 census.

Useful links:

• Wellbeing, burnout and retention report (RCoA)
• Society of Occupational Medicine
• RCoA wellbeing hub

Welcome to this series of podcasts devised by the RCoA Heritage and Archives Committee. In this episode, Pierre Foex and Helen Higham talk to Maria Rollin about their work together, the importance of good mentoring and Pierre's 50 year association with the College and 66 years association with anaesthesia.

They also talk about the success of the Cardiac Disease and Anaesthesia Symposium, which has now been running for over 20 years.