Career enjoyment, curiosity and a “can-do” attitude

Mastering Intensive Care Episode 055 with Mervyn Singer

Anyone who has heard UK intensivist Prof Mervyn Singer speak at an Intensive Care conference will no doubt enjoy listening to him speak on this episode of Mastering Intensive Care.

Mervyn Singer is Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London in the UK. He was born, bred, trained, and now works in London as an intensivist and a researcher whose career spans from basic mechanistic work through to translational investigations and multi-centre trials. He co-chaired the ‘Sepsis-3’ international definitions task force, is Editor-in-Chief of Intensive Care Medicine Experimental and Treasurer of the International Sepsis Forum. Mervyn has published widely in a variety of journals and has authored or co-edited several textbooks including the Oxford Textbook of Critical Care. He was the first UK intensivist to be awarded Senior Investigator status by the UK National Institute for Health Research, and to be invited to give plenary lectures at the European and US Intensive Care Congresses.

In this conversation Mervyn is full of his usual enthusiasm as we covered many important topics including:

• How he became an intensivist
• What he’s observed about the physiological basis of intensive care
• The clinical ward round process he follows
• The scheme in his ICU to allow patients to die at home
• How he leads an end of life conversation
• The benefits to having an ICU-based psychologist
• How institutions might better care for their junior staff
• How much he enjoys his career
• His “can do” attitude
• How his passion for sport has helped him
• His regular sleep pattern
• The value he receives from doing body stretching
• His use of email and social media
• Mentoring younger trainees
• Which of his research makes him most proud
• His tips for giving a good lecture
• Some excellent advice to conclude our conversation

Links related to Mervyn Singer

• Prof Mervyn Singer
• Mervyn Singer brief CV

Links to other resources (in order of mentioning)

• David Bennett’s Obituary (co-authored by Mervyn Singer)
• Edith Piaf
• The Cricket “Ashes”
• New Normal Project podcast

Further reading and listening

• Full podcast collection on LITFL and Libsyn
• The New Normal Project podcast
• More conversation on Twitter (@andrewdavies66) and Facebook