Dr Gareth Andrews is exceptional; born in a blizzard on a small island called Mull on the West Coast of Scotland, he’s now an Anaesthetic Registrar and an adventurer.
Gareth completed his medical degree in Sydney, Australia in 2010. He knows that being a doctor can be as challenging as it is rewarding, and he believes it’s important for all doctors to find a passion that goes beyond the workplace to stay fresh when it matters most.
He’s walked 600 kilometres across the Arctic to reach the North Pole. He’s completed an unsupported ski traverse of the Greenland Ice Sheet. He’s crossed Iceland on foot, ski, and packraft (yep, unsupported).
Here at Medworld, we’ve talked to Gareth a number of times about his adventures and how he squeezes in all that training between shifts. Here are some of our favourite ideas from Gareth about living life to its fullest, achieving dreams, and practicing medicine.
1/ Dedicate yourself to a life outside of medicine
Becoming a doctor takes determination and dedication, but this doesn’t mean we should sacrifice our other dreams to become a great doctor. Gareth explains that taking control of his life outside of medicine is a great way to relieve the stresses and pressures of being a doctor.
“Doctors are inherently good at a lot of things. At school, they’re often multi-talented; they’re musicians or sports people. These are lost as we’re sucked into the conveyor belt of our medical careers,” says Gareth.
“I hear ‘I used to do this, I used to do that’ so often from other doctors. I think it’s important to dedicate yourself to what you love doing and build your career into your lifestyle instead of sacrificing everything else for it. The expeditions have really helped me get through the tough times; they’re something to look forward to and a goal to strive towards.”
2/ Respect others
The North Pole and Greenland can be dangerous, dynamic environments. The harsh weather and challenging conditions require strong teamwork to ensure everyone’s safety. Gareth outlines that inherent respect for others is essential to survival and should be the same in the theatre.
“I’ve been surprised to sometimes see a medical hierarchy and disrespect for others in the medical profession. Just like on an expedition, working in a theatre requires strong teamwork as everyone contributes to the patient’s health,” he says.
“It sounds soft and mushy, but all it takes is respect, thoughtfulness, and kindness to create a strong team that works well under pressure.”
3/ Live better, and you’ll work better
By experiencing life outside of medicine, you’ll develop skills and personal attributes that will help you become an exceptional doctor.
Dr Gareth Andrews found several parallels between his polar expeditions and his role as a doctor. After surviving the harsh conditions of the Arctic, he feels more confident working under pressure. Until he was tested to physical and mental extremes, Gareth did not know what he was capable of.
“I really learned that I have got the ability to endure, not just in a physical capacity but also in a mental capacity, and I think that really helps when it comes down to medicine because there are a number of situations where there will be tough times when you have tough rosters and tough seniors and exams and things; it’s just the fact that you can put your head down and get through it and remain the person that you want to be while going through the tough stuff.”
4/ Use medicine as a platform for other adventures
“[M]edicine is just a platform to go on and do bigger and better things, and it should be used as such,” says Gareth.
It’s a privilege to be a doctor and to possess skills and knowledge that will always be needed worldwide. Use that to enrich your life and the lives of others; give back and get involved in aid work, or travel the world with locum jobs.
5/ Take care of yourself to care for others
One of our key principles here at Medworld is to promote the notion that doctors should take care of themselves to best care for their patients. It’s something that Gareth discovered at an acute level in the harsh Arctic environment:
“If you haven’t got your gloves on, or if you haven’t got your jacket done up properly, or your goggles on, and you don’t do that before you try and help your friend who is struggling, you will have put yourself out of the equation. In those circumstances, especially in a storm or something like that, you will get frostbite in under a minute, and then you’re no good to anybody. I suppose in helping yourself, you’re also helping your teammates.”
