On this episode, we sit down with Professor John Fraser, Director of the Critical Care Research Group at Prince Charles Hospital. Professor Fraser is an absolute legend in the field of critical care research. He has led several incredible initiatives, too many to list here.

He also has a past life as an actor, so we use this interview to discuss how John combines his two passions of the arts and medicine in his daily work.

In this episode, we sit down with Kirsty Freeman, Associate Professor at the Rural Clinical school of Western Australia. Kirsty shares her perspective on the heart and how we keep the heart going, the work of first responders, and the difficulties faced by rural and remote clinicians. Kirsty discusses her experiences working in remote communities as well as her work in the impact of imposter phenomenon (not imposter syndrome!) in healthcare simulation educators.

In this episode Brid also shares a story about how her Uncle Hugh was physically revived by a passerby and then cared for by paramedics and hospital staff after he had a cardiac arrest in the community many years ago. He was forever grateful for the help he received and the way he was able to lead a full and fulfilling life after the event.

Unfortunately, since this episode was recorded, Hughie passed away in his own home on a property he loved in the rural countryside of Western Australia. We want to dedicate this episode to him, all the first responders doing a magnificent job each and every day, and all those members of the community who upskill themselves and are willing to jump in and save a stranger.

Welcome to the next enlightening episode of "Heart of the Matter." Join Dr. Claire Hansen, Dr. Brid Phillips, and Dr. Michael Stevens, along with our special guest, Dr. Michelle Barrett, a revered GP from Canberra with a passion for storytelling and teaching.

In this episode, we delve into Dr. Barrett's remarkable journey of using storytelling to enhance medical education and patient care. With over two decades of experience at Hughes Family Practice and a role as a Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator of Phase 1 Clinical Skills at ANU, Dr. Barrett brings a wealth of insights into how storytelling can revolutionize the teaching of clinical history taking.

Discover how Dr. Barrett's innovative methods have transformed the way medical students learn to diagnose and treat heart failure. From crafting compelling narratives to engage students to harnessing the power of storytelling to deepen patient understanding, Dr. Barrett's approach highlights the pivotal role of storytelling in medical education and practice.

Join us as we uncover the art of storytelling in medicine and its profound impact on shaping the doctors of tomorrow and improving patient outcomes.

Welcome to another enlightening episode of "Heart of the Matter," where we delve into the intricate world of cardiology with your knowledgeable hosts, Dr. Claire Hansen from ANU, Dr. Brid Phillips from UWA, and Dr. Michael Stevens from UNSW.

In this thought-provoking installment titled "The 'Normal' Heart," our expert trio navigates the complex terrain of what constitutes a "normal" heart. Unraveling the challenges associated with using such subjective terminology, our hosts shed light on the implications of labeling and its impact on understanding cardiac health.

Join us as we explore the fascinating variations in "normal" hearts across different species, drawing intriguing comparisons and contrasts. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, this episode aims to broaden your perspective on the diversity within the beating core of living beings.

Tune in to "Heart of the Matter" for an illuminating exploration of the intricacies, challenges, and wonders that lie within the realm of the 'normal' heart.

Welcome back to another episode of HOTM! Our regular hosts Brid and Claire sit down virtually with Dr Emma Trott from University of Leeds to discuss how the heart is represented in contemporary literature, film and culture.

You can view Emma's research profile here.

In this episode, we sit down with Vicki Wade, First Nations Heart Health Lead with the Heart Foundation, and Associate Professor Glenn Pearson, Director First Nations Strategy and Leadership at the Telethon Kids Institute, to discuss the disproportionate impact of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia.

This episode was recorded on the 5th of September 2023, in the leadup to a key historical moment in Australia. On Saturday, 14 October 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. This is an invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People for us all to listen, so that we can work together to address difficult but solvable problems like RHD.

The team behind the Heart of the Matter are strongly in support of saying 'Yes' to an Indigenous voice, and we invite you to listen to this podcast to learn more about why this is such an important moment in Australian history.

Join with us to learn more about:

• the heart in Noongar culture (Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia).
• the devastating impact of RHD (an entirely preventable disease) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia.
• the amazing work by Vicki and Glenn in trying to treat and eliminate RHD, through initiatives such as the Take Heart film series and Champions for Change.
• what our listeners can do to help.

For more information on the topics covered in this episode, please see the links below (or visit the main podcast page here https://tinyurl.com/mtt9cstc):

• ⁠Take Heart Film and Videos ⁠
• ⁠The Voice ⁠to Parliament ⁠
• ⁠Uluru Statement from the Heart⁠
• ⁠Champions4Change⁠
• ⁠End Rhematic Heart Disease Centre of Research Excellence (Telethon Kids Institute) ⁠
• ⁠Deadly heart trek⁠
• ⁠Closing the Gap⁠
• ⁠APY lands⁠
• ⁠Utopia⁠ (Aboriginal Australian homeland area in the Northern Territory).
• ⁠Report⁠ into preventable deaths from RHD at Domadgee Hospital.

Mummification! Pyramids! Book of the Dead! Ancient Egypt is such a fascinating period of history, and still so pervasive in our consciousness today. Fortunately for us, ancient Egyptians were also fascinated in the human heart!

On this episode, we interview two brilliant academics: Dr Camillia Di Biase-Dyson and PhD Candidate Madeleine Jenkins from Maquarie University. We learn all about how ancient Egyptians perceived the heart in the context of the human body. Stay tuned to the end to hear when we delve into the accuracy of ancient Egyptian language in the Brendan Fraser Hollywood Blockbuster, "The Mummy"....

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Claire Hansen

Brid Phillips

Michael Stevens

Camillia Di Biase-Dyson⁠

Madeleine Jenkins

On this episode of our HOTM podcast, we sit down with Professor Anna Greenwood from the University of Nottingham, to discuss her role as the first Professor of Health History. Professor Greenwood was a visiting fellow at the Humanities Research Centre at The ANU in early 2023, which enabled us to sit down with this amazing academic for an interview about her work. She has an amazing track record in the history of health, which overlaps significantly with a our work at HOTM. She also provided us with some great tips on successful interdisciplinary collaborations for humanities studies.

Apologies for the small amount of echo/reverb on the sound. We're trying out a few different techniques for recording via zoom, and I think we'll have it sorted for the next recording.