I am originally from one of the Caribbean Islands named Martinique. It is known to be the place where the royal family from the UK goes to spend their holidays. I moved to France when I was seven years old to the South close to the Spanish border. Both my parents are Obstetrician Gynaecologists. Contrary to how it usually goes with families of doctors, they did not want me to become a doctor. But, I did. I did my studies in Montpellier with the oldest medical faculty in the world. It was quite an unreal experience to be in the amphitheatre where centuries of doctors have been trained. I then moved to Reims, the capital of Champagne, to do my internship. I enjoyed a lot of challenges there and met great mentors who paved the way for my medical enlightenment.

After this,  I wanted to challenge myself and went on a journey of locums. The more challenging the position, the better. Many people were afraid of rural work, but I embraced it. Far from the comfort of the big cities and hospital support, I was transported back into a world like in Bulgakov’s book. That is where my medical leadership got sharpened. I wanted to build experience and was seeking it with a passion.

My goal is to build 25 years of experience with as much variety of learning and bettering myself as possible. Every year needs to bring a new set of skills and knowledge. That is how I have always thought my life should be about. My most challenging position was being the only doctor in a town 5 hours away from any major hospital support with the responsibility of looking after the local hospital and the local aged care facility. There were no street numbers and supplies only came around by truck once a week. This time reminded me of the old adage: “ Beware of what you wish for!”. I had a wonderful time doing locums, nonetheless. Then, I moved to Australia.

I came for the adventure. A land so far away from my original country, it seemed like the beginning of a fairy tale “ in a far far far away land…” It was, for me, the country of  new changes, hope and endless opportunities.   I am grateful for all the opportunities given to me. I have met great and enthusiastic people from whom I learned a lot. I met my wife here, and now we have a beautiful boy that brightens our life with much joy.

From a young age, I have always been passionate about the mysteries of science. I wanted to be a pilot like most kids. But, my first experience in a small plane taught me the great lesson that I was not cut out for that.

I enrolled in medicine initially because I wanted to unravel the secrets of the DNA. As I got into contact with patients, I realised that there was a greater goal that could be accomplished there. To become a doctor is embracing the selfless love of understanding humankind in all aspects. Medicine taught me to be independent and resilient. It helped me realise who I am as a person, reviewing my own values and goals.

You are not the same person when you walk out of medical school. You change to tackle the challenges that are thrown at you in this profession. But, at its core is the unchanging drive to give back to the community  as a good person with integrity and respect. I always wanted to make a difference in patients’ lives. Some doctors might think their specialities do better than others in achieving that. From my experience, every healthcare practitioner can contribute to the greater good of patients.

This is a tricky question. A good doctor is in the eye of the beholder. For instance doctors might be impressed with a Dr House. Despite poor bedside manners, his skills will bring respect and the reputation to be a good doctor among other doctors. On the other hand,for the patients, being treated with respect and integrity is sometimes more important than how much the doctor knows. This is all about relationships.

All doctors have passed their rigorous training and exams successfully. They have been judged competent against a standard to provide good care. The difference from there is personality. Like with making friends, you might click with someone straight away, which inexplicably can be harder and even impossible with others for no obvious reason. At the end of the day, the good doctor is someone competent that makes you feel respected; who you trust to make the best decision with your health. It is all about trust, and trust starts with the connecting bond of this relationship.

I am old school. People see it as a job, but I never saw it like that. It has always been a vocation. As a result, I can get fired up by cowboys and unethical people abusing patients’ trust. I think that doctors have the ultimate duty to respect and nurture the trust that patients are putting upon this profession. As a result, doctors should display professionalism, respect, integrity, fairness, honesty, sound ethics and leadership.

I think it is an essential part of doctorship. To evolve as a doctor, you need to evolve as a human being. Hobbies are also your natural connection to the community. I personally enjoy philosophy, music, drawing and fighting sports. Philosophy nourishes my psyche and how I see the world. Music cultivates my soul. Drawing enriches my artistic part where I can express myself freely. Fighting sports set the discipline and resilience I need to bring to reality my projects.

I have been doing skin cancer Medicine for a decade. I have always seen the struggle of patients with varicose veins. I wanted to help them. Consequently, I looked for a training to be able to treat veins. That is how I enrolled with the Australian College of Phlebology to become a Phlebologists ( vein doctor).  

Although, I don’t only treat veins. I treat a person with vein issues, but it does not stop there. Some doctors might limit their consult by acknowledging  that the patient’s concern is not vein-related and does not look further than that. “That’s not my job” is not a part of my vocabulary. Even the smallest of concerns deserve the right attention.  Patients entrust me with their health; and, if I don’t have the answer to their problem, my duty is to refer them to someone who can help. When I treat veins,  the real problems are swollen and painful legs, which entails a more holistic approach.  There can be more causes leading to what patients experience than what we think.