H u m a n s o f p i n d A r a THIS ISSUE WE GET TO KNOW NEUROSURGEON, DR CHRISTIAN SCHWINDACK WHY NEUROSURGERY? There is still so much we do not understand about the brain – it is a marvel; we learn new things every day but it still holds many mysteries. It is a privilege to be allowed to operate on this most delicate of organs, the seat of our personality, memory, skills and consciousness. Operations are often complex, carry inherent risk and require meticulous planning, attention to detail, patience and dedication. Many cases in neurosurgery are matters of life or death – the responsibility is enormous. There is no room for error and the threat of possible disaster juxtaposed with the exhilaration of a successful operation creates a constant tension that drives us and keeps us humble. WHAT DOES A NEUROSURGEON DO? I think Wikipedia describes it well when they write, “Neurosurgery, or neurological surgery, is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.” A lot of a neurosurgeons’ work actually doesn’t involve surgery. One thing that I think about often is that the true art of surgery is not knowing how to operate, but when to operate. WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A NEUROSURGEON? Both my parents are doctors - It's in my DNA. At medical school, I always thought the neurosurgeons were the coolest characters around. Together with my fascination with the brain, the choice was easily made – within minutes of doing my first neurosurgical attachment I was sold. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS? I started medical school in South Africa in 1992 – it was a six year course. I then did my residency in Namibia and a year of general practitioner work in rural South Africa. My basic surgical training in Edinburgh, Scotland took two years. The specialist training in Cambridge took six years, completed by a fellowship in Perth. It took 17 years from starting medical school to finally becoming a specialist neurosurgeon! WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE WANTING TO START OUT IN THIS FIELD? • Perseverance, perseverance, perseverance • Curiosity • Respect for and a genuine desire to help others DO YOU DO ANY TEACHING OR RESEARCH? I am very much involved in giving lectures to students, nurses, GPs, and general and specialist trainees. I convene a course at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons teaching young fellows on setting up a practice. I am also a mentor to surgical students at Griffith and Bond Universities and I am keenly involved in that. In regards to further development for myself, I regularly attend course locally and abroad to find the safest, least invasive techniques to perform surgery. IF YOU WEREN'T A NEUROSURGEON, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? A sound engineer: I love music, acoustics and computers. Although the math might be a problem! WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WORKING AT PINDARA PRIVATE HOSPITAL? The people! I have been made to feel very welcome at Pindara. The staff are always willing to help and go the proverbial ‘extra mile’; every problem has a solution! The culture of a ‘can-do’ attitude is very positive. It’s good to know that there are people who have your back. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO, OR MADE YOU STAY ON THE GOLD COAST? Surfing at dawn, world-class professional facilities during the day, dinner on the deck at night in the hinterland – what else could one ask for? Life is relaxed and there is just no excuse to not get outside and enjoy the outdoors. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Spend as much time with my family as possible. My girls have completely embraced the Gold Coast lifestyle, my wife has become a triathlon enthusiast. The Gold Coast has so many options for young families: beach, hinterland, parks, festivals – never a dull moment! Brisbane and Northern NSW can be reached in under an hour and I can be on a plane to somewhere beautiful and exciting within one hour from my house! HOW DO YOU RELAX? I go for a run in the evenings after work – it’s good for the mind, soul and waistline (and a sore back). I love to have dinner with friends on the deck or go out to eat somewhere with a view of the ocean. Any restaurant with nice seafood that has a view of the waves gets my tick of approval! 64 Pindara Magazine 2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Nine
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