Occupational and environmental medicine sits in a strange blind spot in medical training, even though work-related presentations turn up almost daily in general practice, emergency departments and on the wards. In this episode of Aussie Med Ed, host and Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gavin Nimon sits down with Dr Mary Obele, specialist occupational and environmental physician with expertise in work capacity, causation and medicolegal reporting, and Dr Berni Cameron, occupational health nurse practitioner and academic at Edith Cowan University with over 25 years' experience across mining, industry and work health and safety education.

Together they unpack what occupational medicine actually involves, how the occupational health nurse, GP and occupational physician each fit into the return-to-work pathway, and how to approach that first consultation: take a good history, examine carefully, focus on function rather than incapacity, and complete the certificate of capacity with clarity. Along the way they cover environmental exposures such as silica, why early communication with the workplace matters, the evidence behind keeping workers meaningfully engaged during recovery, psychosocial hazards as the new frontier of workplace health, and practical tips for young GPs walking onto a worksite for the first time.

Whether you're a medical student, junior doctor or GP, this episode offers a pragmatic framework for managing work-related presentations — starting with one simple question: "Tell me about your work.

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Polio, the condition that spurned innovations from Physiotherapy, vaccines, Intensive Care Units and Rehabilitation Medicine is one of those diseases we’re taught as “solved”, yet the people who survived Australia’s epidemics are walking into clinics right now with new weakness, pain, fatigue and loss of function. That gap between what we remember and what patients live with is where this conversation sits, starting with iron lungs and ending with the very practical question: how do we recognise post-polio syndrome and the late effects of polio before we dismiss them as ageing?

Join host Dr Gavin Nimon ( Orthopaedic Surgeon) who interviews three guests who each bring a different lens. Associate Professor Anupam Datta Gupta (Rehabilitation Medicine) breaks down how poliovirus moves from a gut infection to selective damage of anterior horn cells, and why the long compensation phase can collapse decades later. Michael Jackson (Polio Australia) shares what people affected by polio report about stigma, separation, and the day-to-day realities of pacing, equipment, and living with a progressive condition. Associate Professor Bruce Thorley (Doherty Institute, WHO Polio Reference Lab) explains where global eradication stands, why vaccination coverage still matters, and how Australia uses acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, laboratory testing and wastewater surveillance to stay polio-free.

We also trace polio’s outsized impact on modern healthcare: the shift from negative pressure ventilation to the birth of ICU, the evolution of orthotics and rehabilitation, and the role of Sister Elizabeth Kenny in reshaping physiotherapy. If you’re a GP, allied health clinician, or student, you’ll come away with red flags to ask about, the logic of diagnosis by exclusion, and management principles that prioritise function, safety, and quality of life.

If this helped, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more clinicians find it. What’s one sign of post-polio syndrome you’ll start asking about this week?

This is approved for 1.5 hour RACGP CPD - accredited activity
to complete - click on registration link after listening
remember to provide RACGP member number and email
registration link

🎙️ Proudly Supported By Our Sponsors

Aussie Med Ed is independent and free — made possible by these amazing Australian organisations.

• Heidi Health — AI medical scribe built for Australian clinicians. Finish clinic on time and keep your focus on your patients. Visit Heidi Health
• HealthShare — Australia's health information and referral platform, connecting GPs, specialists and patients. Visit HealthShare
• Avant Medical Defence Organisation — Protecting over 80,000 Australian healthcare professionals. Visit Avant
• eMedici -an Australian-made medical education platform for med students, junior doctors, and IMGs. Visit eMedici.com/MEDED
• Better Medical- GP clinics across QLD, SA, VIC and TAS – offering you the freedom to practise your way, backed by a strong support network. Visit BetterMedical
  
  

Thanking the organisations that make Aussie Med Ed possible. Visit our full Sponsors page

Pregnancy is a common and often straightforward physiological process—but it also has the potential to become complex, requiring careful clinical assessment and timely escalation.

In this episode of Aussie Med Ed, Dr Gavin Nimon is joined by Adelaide-based obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Allison Munt for a comprehensive discussion on the practical management of pregnancy, tailored for medical students and general practitioners.

Together, they explore the continuum of care from the initial GP presentation through to delivery and the postpartum period, with a focus on clinical reasoning, risk stratification, and shared decision-making.

This is approved for 1 hour RACGP CPD - accredited activity
to complete - click on registration link after listening
remember to provide RACGP member number and email
registration link

Key topics include:

• What constitutes a low-risk vs high-risk pregnancy, and how this influences models of care
• The role of the GP in the first trimester, including history, examination, and initial investigations
• Current approaches to screening, including non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and morphology ultrasound
• Identification and management principles for common complications such as gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and fetal growth restriction
• Monitoring strategies in the second and third trimesters, including when additional imaging or CTG assessment may be indicated
• Considerations around timing and mode of delivery, including induction of labour and caesarean section
• The importance of postpartum care, including pelvic floor rehabilitation, breastfeeding support, and perinatal mental health

This episode emphasises a balanced, patient-centred approach, acknowledging that pregnancy care varies depending on individual circumstances, patient preferences, and local resources. It also highlights the importance of multidisciplinary care involving GPs, obstetricians, midwives, and allied health professionals.

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

The information discussed in this episode reflects the clinical experience and perspectives of the speakers and is intended for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for independent clinical judgment.

Management of pregnancy and obstetric conditions may vary based on local guidelines, patient factors, and evolving evidence, and clinicians should refer to current recommendations and consult appropriate specialists when required.

🎙️ Proudly Supported By Our Sponsors

Aussie Med Ed is independent and free — made possible by these amazing Australian organisations.

• Heidi Health — AI medical scribe built for Australian clinicians. Finish clinic on time and keep your focus on your patients. Visit Heidi Health
• HealthShare — Australia's health information and referral platform, connecting GPs, specialists and patients. Visit HealthShare
• Avant Medical Defence Organisation — Protecting over 80,000 Australian healthcare professionals. Visit Avant
• eMedici -an Australian-made medical education platform for med students, junior doctors, and IMGs. Visit eMedici.com/MEDED
• Better Medical- GP clinics across QLD, SA, VIC and TAS – offering you the freedom to practise your way, backed by a strong support network. Visit BetterMedical
  
  

Thanking the organisations that make Aussie Med Ed possible. Visit our full Sponsors page