
The Medical Journal of Australia
Australia's premier general medical academic peer-reviewed journal.
Latest episodes

Jan 27, 2025 • 22min
Episode 573: MJA Podcasts 2025 Episode 2: Advanced back pain management and robotic advances
Today we are exploring advanced back pain management and robotic advances in spinal surgery. This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Today I am joined by two guests, my first is Associate Professor Tillman Boesel. He is a pain management specialist who practises at Macquarie University Hospital and Macquarie Neurosurgery and Spine. He Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences.The second guest is Dr Matthew Tait is a neurosurgeon who specialises in spinal disorders and cerebrovascular diseases. He practises at Macquarie University Hospital and Macquarie Neurosurgery and Spine. He is a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences.

Jan 19, 2025 • 20min
Episode 572: MJA Podcasts 2025 Episode 1 - Male Infertility
Today we are exploring male infertility, from causes to treatment options.This podcast is sponsored by Genea Fertility. Genea has been helping create families for almost four decades. Their world leading IVF science and technology delivers success rates consistently higher than the national average, ensuring your patients have the best chance of a healthy baby. Referral and patient resources can be found at genea.com.au’Dr Chandrika Parmar is an immensely experienced fertility specialist and gynaecologist, practicing fertility medicine and IVF in Melbourne for the last two decades.She operates from Epworth Freemasons Private Hospital in East Melbourne and performs clinical fertility services from Genea East Melbourne.

Dec 9, 2024 • 25min
Episode 571: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 30: GPs and fertility management
Today we are exploring the role of GPs in fertility management.This podcast is sponsored by Genea Fertility. Genea has been helping create families for almost four decades. Their world leading IVF science and technology delivers success rates consistently higher than the national average, ensuring your patients have the best chance of a healthy baby. Referral and patient resources can be found at genea.com.auWe also discuss how GPs can navigate ethical issues around fertility treatments and patient care.Associate Professor Alex Polyakov is the Medical Director of Genea Melbourne City, a highly skilled obstetrician, gynaecologist, and fertility specialist based in East Melbourne and joins us today.

Nov 25, 2024 • 21min
Episode 570: MJA Podcasts Episode 29 - infertility evaluation, history and diagnostics
Today we are exploring infertility evaluation, history and diagnosticsThis podcast is sponsored by Genea Fertility. Genea has been helping create families for almost four decades. Their world leading IVF science and technology delivers success rates consistently higher than the national average, ensuring your patients have the best chance of a healthy baby. Referral and patient resources can be found at genea.com.au’To discuss this topic, we are joined by Dr Genia Rozen is a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Clinical School Tutor at Melbourne University. Dr Rozen is involved in the fertility preservation service at Genea and Royal Women’s Hospital.

Nov 19, 2024 • 15min
Episode 569: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 28 - Dr Camilla Wainwright and Dr David Roy
Today, we're delving into transcatheter aortic valve implantation, commonly referred to as TAVI. Specifically, we'll be exploring the nuances of treatment for female patients with aortic stenosis and the pivotal role valve choice plays in their health outcomes.This podcast is made possible by Medtronic. However, the views expressed here are not necessarily those of Medtronic.To delve deeper into this topic, the interview will be conducted by cardiologist Doctor Camilla Wainwright from St Vincent’s Private Hospital. And to discuss the latest data and its implications for female patients with aortic stenosis, we're joined by interventional cardiologist Doctor David Roy from St Vincent’s Hospital.

Oct 13, 2024 • 19min
Episode 568: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 27 - Fertility treatment options and referrals
Today we are exploring fertility with Dr Alice Huang. This includes what lifestyle changes or medications can you take before considering assisted reproductive technologies. When should GPs refer patients to a fertility specialist, and an example of a challenging fertility case.This podcast is sponsored by Genea Fertility. Genea has been helping create families for almost four decades. Their world leading IVF science and technology delivers success rates consistently higher than the national average, ensuring your patients have the best chance of a healthy baby. Referral and patient resources can be found at genea.com.au

Oct 6, 2024 • 16min
Episode 567: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 26: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Today we are discussing transcatheter aortic valve implantation, also known as TAVI. TAVI that has become pivotal in the cardiology space since its introduction in 2002, and today we’ll compare TAVI to surgical aortic valve replacement. We’ll also discuss the importance of shared decision making. This podcast is sponsored by Medtronic. The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily those of Medtronic. To learn more, we are joined by consultant cardiologists Dr Jason Sharp & Dr Dennis Wang from the Sydney Adventist Hospital to discuss some key updates in the TAVI space.

Sep 30, 2024 • 14min
Episode 566: MJA Podcasts Episode 25: Gastric and oesophageal cancer - a community perspective
Today we will be talking about gastric and oesophageal cancer and what we have learnt about it as a community.This podcast is sponsored by the Pancare Foundation and funded by the Australian Government. The Pancare Foundation provides support to people impacted by a diagnosis of upper gastro intestinal cancer. The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of the Pancare Foundation.My special guests are Melanie Regan and Sue Hegarty, two cancer nurses with many decades of experience.

Sep 22, 2024 • 24min
Episode 565: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 24: Interventional techniques in stroke treatment
What are the latest interventional techniques used in stroke treatment? What is the role of GPs in the assessment and management of a stroke patient?These questions are answered on this podcast today as we explore different the facets of stroke treatment.Our experts are Neurologist Candice Delcourt who works at MQ Health Neurology and Interventional Neuroradiologist Brendan Steinfort who is with Macquarie University Hospital.This podcast is brought to you by Macquarie University Hospital, a part of MQ Health.

Aug 4, 2024 • 19min
Episode 564: MJA Podcasts 2024 Episode 23: Lung cancer screening to save lives
Lung cancer is Australia’s deadliest cancer. When patients develop symptoms like coughing it is generally no longer curable by surgery or other treatments.The National Lung Cancer Screening Program will begin next year and will involve routine scanning in the hope of catching the disease in its earliest stages. More information, including who’s eligible for the Program, is available hereThis podcast is brought to you by Macquarie University Hospital, a part of MQ Health.Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Macquarie University Hospital, Alvin Ing told the MJA the screening program could push the cure rate for lung cancer to as high as 90%,