79 | Dr. Ruth Mitchell on nuclear weapons, structural violence & neurosurgery

Dr. Ruth Mitchell is a Sydney-based neurosurgeon, currently working in Sydney Children’s Hospitals network. She has a keen interest in paediatric neurosurgery, brain tumour biology, and injury research. She received the 2019 John Corboy Medal from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons for her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in surgery.  Furthermore, as a passionate advocate for social justice since her childhood, Dr Mitchell has also been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). 

In this episode, we discuss her work in ICAN and earning the Nobel Peace Prize, juggling when to lean into neurosurgery vs ICAN, the highlights/lowlights of paediatric neurosurgery, diversity & inclusion in surgery, and her experience of gender bias and structural violence in surgery. 

ICAN: https://www.icanw.org/
Books mentioned: 
Another Day In the Colony - Chelsea Watego https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21848997.Chelsea_Watego 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59118034-another-day-in-the-colony
White Tears, Brown Scars - Ruby Hamad 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53260224-white-tears-brown-scars
Not Just Lucky - Jamila Rizvi https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35019393-not-just-lucky
Ruth Mitchell Twitter: https://twitter.com/drruthmitchell

Chapters

• 0:00 Ruth Mitchell
• 1:26 Finding medicine
• 8:57 Unifying groups to understand marginsalisation
• 13:47 ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
• 18:56 Choosing times to lean into medicine, vs leaning into other life commitments
• 21:59 Choosing neurosurgery
• 27:27 Work in paediatric neurosurgery
• 31:26 Lowlights of the career
• 38:58 Diversity & inclusion in surgery
• 44:56 Experiencing gender bias - but acknowledging privilege
• 48:00 Calling out the BS