Human 20: Dr. Michael Russell

Intensive Care Doctor

Michael is an Intensive Care doctor at the Canberra Intensive Care Unit. He is a current clinical tutor at the University of Wollongong and contributes to multiple critical care societies for lectures, as well as clinical simulation work for junior doctors. Previously, Michael worked at the Hospital and Rehabilitation centre for Disabled Children in Nepal as a paediatric physiotherapist. Away from work, Michael is a husband and father of two, a long-time musician, a CrossFit enthusiast, and was also a national-level surf boat rower.

Michael is a human mammal. Here are his thoughts:

What brings you the most joy in life?

In general, the time I spend with my young family brings me the most joy – my beautiful wife Stacey and my daughters, Charlotte and Sophie. I have limited time with them (due to work), yet they are so important in keeping me grounded amongst the maelstrom of Intensive Care. It is quite easy to let things weigh you down after this kind of work, and my family are the main reason I have been able to persevere. This was especially true during the early days of the pandemic last year. 

What does success mean to you?

To me, success means not only being able to achieve what you desire in life, but also doing so in a way that benefits your immediate family, as well as the broader community. Whilst personal achievements are well and good, they are meaningless if they do not positively impact those around you.

What do you see as your greatest achievement?

One that is ongoing is being able to balance the demands of my job with enjoying my family life - this is always in flux. 

In terms of actual milestones, graduating from university (twice) would be up there for sure. Competing in the Rawson Cup at USyd for both rugby and swimming was also a unique achievement, having played with and against many a talented athlete (whom were very much my superior).

What are you most grateful for?

Having a wife and family that keep me grounded through the worst of times. 

I am not afraid to say there have been times where I have come home from work in tears due to the nature of my job. The fact that I have been able to pick myself up and keep going is only due to their support. I also have incredibly supportive parents that cannot go unmentioned - they performed (and at times still perform) this function in my formative years.

Who or what has had the biggest influence on your life? 

Easily my parents. Without them I would not have had such a supportive base to chase my own endeavours. They have also instilled in me the values of hard work, resilience and a community-focussed mindset.

What do you regret?

My main regret is not looking after myself properly for many years. From a physical aspect, I returned to rugby too soon following multiple concussions. This led to me developing a sustained post-concussive syndrome earlier this year. I am grateful that it isn’t worse, but the fact I dismissed concussion and its long-term effects is something that haunts me currently.

Emotionally, a lack of confidence and being afraid to speak up until I graduated Medicine (and after I met Stacey) is something I regret. Too often I internalised things that were going through my head, which led to a significant psychological load. The after-effects are still present, and at times I wonder what may have been if I had only been more assertive.

Has there been a defining moment in your life? Can you tell us about it?

So many to be honest. I think the birth of my first child (Charlotte) would be the most pertinent, as it really ushered me into the next phase of my life. The fact that I now have the unavoidable responsibility to act as a role model meant I had to grow emotionally myself. This really has permeated into all aspects of both my personal and professional life. And for that I am grateful.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Pay attention to your own thoughts and do not be swayed by others.

What do you doubt most?

Unfortunately, the common sense of other people. Whether this be in the refusal to acknowledge expertise and knowledge from someone more qualified, or the self-destructive attitudes of some. This appears to only be worsening in recent times.

When did you last change your mind?

I change my mind regularly. Probably on a daily basis really. We need to have an element of adaptability in life.

What is the role of luck in our lives?

There are things we cannot control (call it luck if you will), but I am not overly concerned with these variables. I would rather concern myself with those aspects I can control, to give myself the best chance possible.

Do you have a favourite quote? What is it? Why do you like it?

‘You are good enough, and you have done the best you can’

Imposter Syndrome is a real thing that most of us battle every day. My old ICU had a checklist on the door leaving the unit with a quote along these lines. It reminded us to acknowledge that we did a good job today, and we tried to the best of our ability. I try to apply this when I leave anything feeling down, even something like a less-than-optimal gym session. 

What would you do with your life if you had unlimited financial resources?

Make sure the community benefitted. Amassing personal wealth is useless in this life - we cannot take it with us when we pass… and paying off the mortgage of course!

If you could have the definitive answer to a single question, what would you ask?

Why do I exist, and how can I maximise this life?

What concept/fact/idea should every human on the planet understand?

Societal, scientific and health literacy in the present age. There is so much misinformation out there at the moment. Having people understand the limits of their expertise, and be able to interpret basic information, would do a world of good.

Should we think of morality in relative or absolute terms?

Relative terms. Things are rarely black and white and should be approached on the basis of each individual situation.

Do human beings have free will?

I like to think so. Whether we exercise that free will is another question entirely…

Do you believe in God?

I always have the feeling of a higher power in play. Beyond that, I don’t worry too much about the specifics. Again, nothing I could do would impact the power or will of an omnipresent being.

Could we be living in a simulated universe?

This I do not buy into really. I guess there is a theoretical possibility, but not one I put too much weight on. Again, not something I can influence.

Will the continual development of technology have a net positive or negative influence on humanity?

The optimist within me feels that there will be a tipping point in the near future where technological development will begin to have a net gain. Presently, I feel it has a more negative influence overall. But again, I am optimistic.

What is the single greatest achievement of humanity?

The Gutenberg printing press, which really started the mass production of literature (and the printing revolution). Without this, the mass distribution of information would not have occurred.

What do you see as the biggest existential threat to humanity?

To be clichéd, humanity itself. Unless we can move from a self-focussed to a community-focused model of self-worth, then many of the inequalities in the world will remain unsolved. 

What does it mean to live a good life?

Striving to achieve what is important to you, whilst improving the world around you for when you are gone. 

What is a good death?

Death is something I deal with daily unfortunately. Ideally, a good death is one where a person is at home, surrounded by loved ones, whilst being comfortable and at peace with the life they have lived. Unfortunately, this is rarely achievable, especially in the Intensive Care environment. Here the prioritisation of comfort and family take precedence above all else, even in the foreign environment of a hospital. 

Knowing when to accept death (rather than pursue active treatment that may be futile) is a difficult bridge to cross and having these discussions in health is very important.

What question should I have asked you?

What is one skill you would like to learn and why? Speaking another language for me - on my to-do list!

Thanks for your time, Michael!

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