In this episode of the Podcast I speak with Professor Munjed Al Muderis about his escape from Iraq as a refugee. In 1999 Munjed was forced to flee Iraq after a busload of army draft evaders were brought into the hospital where he worked to have the top of their ears amputated under Saddam Hussein's orders. The senior surgeon in the operating theatre refused the orders and was immediately interrogated and shot in front of several medical staff. Rather than complying with orders Munjed decided to escape. This conversation covers Munjed's journey from Iraq to Australia as a refugee. We also discuss Australian refugee policies.

►For more information about Munjed: https://www.almuderis.com.au/

These conversations are supported by the Andrea von Braun foundation (http://www.avbstiftung.de/), as an exploration of the rich, exciting, connected, scientifically literate, and (most importantly) sustainable future of humanity. The views expressed in these episodes are my own and those of my guests. This episode is the first part of a two part conversation that covers Munjed's journey from being a refugee to being a world leading surgeon. In the second part of the discussion we discuss one of Munjed's dreams: the goal of creating a more economically sustainable environment for medicine in Australia.