Back from the brink. Podcast Special with The Medical Journal of Australia

July 16, 2020

Anaesthetist Dr Bruce Powell was competing in a charity bike ride when he slammed into a telegraph pole at 65km/h, almost killing him and ending his clinical career. He talks about medicine, living with a brain injury and sharing what he’s learned about being a better doctor.

A person wading in a clear, rocky tide pool at the base of a large, craggy mountain under a bright blue sky.
By Bruce Powell March 22, 2026
Rehabilitation is the missing link in Australia’s hospital crisis. Underfunding and COVID disruptions continue to block recovery and system flow.
A person with light-colored hair and facial hair sleeping peacefully on their side in a bed with white linens.
By Bruce Powell March 22, 2026
Featured in MJA InSight+, this article explores brain injury advocacy, the reality behind the Royal Commission findings, and why meaningful change is still overdue.
The DonateLife logo: a fuchsia heart shape formed by three rotating arrows, with the text
By Bruce Powell March 17, 2026
Reflective insights from a former ICU doctor on organ donation, community trust, ethics, and the quiet realities behind transplantation.
Watercolor painting of a rusty blue and orange kettle with a wooden handle. Splattered with blue and red paint.
By Bruce Powell March 10, 2026
Scammers rely on urgency and confusion. The Kettle Rule shows how slowing down, even making tea, can break the spell and protect vulnerable people.
Man at a microphone, in a recording studio, holding a coffee and working on a laptop.
By Bruce Powell March 5, 2026
AI has industrialised deception, making scams harder to detect. As trust becomes procedural, can AI also help us defend ourselves without replacing human judgement?
Person touching cheek, arrow pointing down. Signifying 'to think'.
By Bruce Powell February 26, 2026
Sometimes the hands hold stories that the mind can not carry.
Boy  swimming in ocean, facing away, head above water, blue sky.
By Bruce Powell February 6, 2026
High performance is about managing cognitive load to make good decisions.
Wrinkled alien face with a glowing blue eye, wearing a metal headpiece.
By Bruce Powell January 20, 2026
Why everyday life after brain injury demands elite performance skills. Cognitive load, fatigue management and system design explained by Dr Bruce Powell
Split image comparing NASA cockpit and supermarket aisle to show cognitive overload in brain injury
By Bruce Powell December 15, 2025
A powerful reflection on cognitive overload, showing why brain injury patients must use high-performance strategies just to shop at Christmas.
AATPHRM conference logo
By Bruce Powell December 7, 2025
Trauma reshapes the brain and identity itself. A former critical care doctor reflects on PTSD, humour as armour, and why honesty is the first step toward recovery.
Show More