70 | Dr. Simon Rowley on childhood development, sabbatical & neonatology

Doctor NOS

Dr Simon Rowley is a senior Consultant Neonatologist at Auckland City Hospital (originally National Womens’ Hospital). His basic training was in Dunedin and Christchurch and his postgraduate studies –FRACP paediatrics - were completed in Oxford, U.K. . He is currently a senior Neonatal Paediatrician in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at National Womens’ Health, Auckland City Hospital.

He also practiced General Paediatrics in private for 30 years, looking after children of all ages. He is the former chair of the Paediatric Vocational Training Committee for the Auckland and Northern Region and a Director of Physician Education a position held for 12 years. One of his main interests is the effect of early childhood experience on infant brain development- the neurobiology of human brain development- and this interest extends to him being a trustee and presenter for the Brainwave Trust. Other interests include early childhood behavioural and developmental outcomes, and medical ethics. In particular he is interested in how we make decisions about end-of-life care in the vulnerable sick or new born infant. He is an honorary lecturer at the Auckland School of Medicine and a recipient of the Denis Pickup Teaching Award 2014 and a Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award 2015. He is married with 4 adult children. In 2021 he received a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit at the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
In this episode, we discuss his journey into neonatology, his work in private and public paediatrics and how it contrasts, the differences between neonatology and paediatrics, his love for volunteering and passion for brain development, his mahi with the Brainwave Trust, and how he spent his sabbatical.
Brainwave Trust:
https://brainwave.org.nz/about-us/
https://brainwave.org.nz/article/wiring-the-brain/

Mind That Child: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40196256-mind-that-child
https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/mind-that-child-9780143771982

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Audio credit:
Bliss by Luke Bergs https://soundcloud.com/bergscloud
Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
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Kapitler

1. Simon Rowley (00:00:00)

2. Finding medicine (00:01:34)

3. Finding paediatrics (00:03:15)

4. Finding neonatology (00:04:22)

5. Training in neonatology (00:05:55)

6. Private practice paediatrics vs public practice (00:08:14)

7. Differences between paediatrics and neonatology (00:10:36)

8. Level 1, 2 or 3 in neonatology (00:13:55)

9. Coping with neonatal deaths (00:18:58)

10. The Brainwave Trust (00:28:15)

11. Volunteering with Plunket (00:39:17)

12. Sabbatical (00:41:36)