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    Opening up the interface of Christian faith, medicine, nursing and health.
    en-gb133 Episodes

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    Episodes (133)

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Difficult conversations

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Difficult conversations

    How do we respond when we are asked difficult questions around contentious issues? What does it look like to practice good medicine, engage graciously and respectfully, and yet not compromise your beliefs? We’ll consider how to grow in confidence in this area as junior doctors. 

     References:

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    1st incision
    en-gbSeptember 27, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 9: Faith and Hope in Ukraine

    Finger on the Pulse | 9: Faith and Hope in Ukraine

    In the season finale episode of 'Finger on the Pulse', Ben chats with the Medical Director of Ukraine Medical Outreach, Dr Jim Peipon, about life, faith, and medicine in Ukraine, a year and a half on from Russia's invasion of the country. What is it like living, practising medicine, and following Jesus in the midst of war?

    References 

    You can also read more about the work of the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine  in the current crisis in this recent Triple Helix interview with their director, Rudi Migovich - cmf.li/3K53wGi 

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    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Facing Failure

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Facing Failure

    '…So take a good look in the mirror and tell me who you see, the one who Jesus died for or the one you'd rather be? Can you find it in your heart to show mercy to the one the Father loved so much that he gave his only son?' – lyrics from ‘The Golden Boy and The Prodigal’ by Jason Gray.

    As humans, at times failure is inevitable, but as doctors, the possible consequences of our failure can be fatal.  

    We look to combine Biblical principles with practical recommendations as we explore what it means to be successful. We also look at different kinds of failure that we encounter, and discuss possible ways to respond.    

    This is a stand-alone episode of the Junior Doctor Foundations podcast. Your host is Lizzy Kennedy (a junior doctor based in Devon); she is joined by guest Tim Hinks (Associate Professor of Respiratory Medicine) and Felicia Wong (GP and CMF Head of Doctors’ Ministries).  

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    en-gbSeptember 13, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 8: A New Womb and the Ethics of Transplantation

    Finger on the Pulse | 8: A New Womb and the Ethics of Transplantation

    This week, Ben is joined by special guest Dr Trevor Stammers to discuss the UK's first uterus transplant, as well as the wider ethical issues around transplantation in the UK and around the world.

    References:

    T. Stammers, "The Ethics of Global Organ Acquisition: Moral Arguments about Transplantation" (Bloomsbury 2023)

    First womb transplant in UK completed by surgeons - BBC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWukl9nPASU

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    1st incision
    en-gbSeptember 06, 2023

    Dr Nancy Pearcey - The Toxic War on Masculinity

    Dr Nancy Pearcey - The Toxic War on Masculinity

    Dr Nancy Pearcey, author of the seminal Love Thy Body,  gave us some time in July to talk about her new book The Toxic War on Masculinity. Our culture seems not to know what to do with men. It assumes they are entitled, privileged, and at the top of the pile, but the evidence from social sciences suggests the picture is not so clear cut. Men die younger, have poorer health, physically and mentally, and are more likely to die at their own hands or at the hands of other men, than are women. In a wide-ranging discussion we look at whether there is a crisis in masculinity in Western culture and the Western church, what are its causes, and why the gospel and biblical teaching are good news for men, women, and society.

    Dr Pearcey is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She is professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. She has been quoted in The New Yorker and Newsweek, highlighted as one of the five top women apologists by Christianity Today, and hailed in The Economist as 'America's pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual.'

    You can find out more about Dr Pearcey's book at The Toxic War on Masculinity

    You can read the Triple Helix review at cmf.li/43yydKR

    This year's International Men's Day on 19 November seeks to raise awareness of the causes of the high suicide rate among young men - see internationalmensday.com for more information.

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    en-gbAugust 30, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 7: Christ and the Culture Wars

    Finger on the Pulse | 7: Christ and the Culture Wars

    In this week's episode, Sally and Ben do something a little different. Sally interviews Ben about his recently released book 'Christ and the Culture Wars: Speaking for Jesus in a World of Identity Politics' (Christian Focus). They explore how Christians should engage with a culture that paints Christians as the antiquated, oppressive villains who need to be overthrown. Is the gospel still good news for our culture? 

    References

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    1st incision
    en-gbAugust 23, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 6: Lucy Letby - emergency podcast

    Finger on the Pulse | 6: Lucy Letby - emergency podcast

    In this emergency Finger on the Pulse podcast episode, Ben offers some initial reflections on the case of Lucy Letby - the nurse who was convicted of murdering seven babies on the neonatal unit in the Countess of Chester hospital. 
    References:
    - BBC Panorama, Lucy Letby- The Nurse who Killed
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001q7dl
    - Dr Ravi Jayram, interview with ITV News
    https://www.itv.com/watch/news/babies-couldve-been-saved-doctor-who-helped-catch-lucy-letby-blames-hospital/xcytcvm
    - Interview with Sam Allberry, What Can We Learn from the Ravi Zacharias Scandals?, Speak Life
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMA6ZDS7eLc

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    Singing of our salvation

    Singing of our salvation

    When Jesus faced hostility and struggle, it was to the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-122) that he turned.

    In the final talk of CMF's National Conference 2023, Jason Roach delves into Psalm 122 and the theme of 'Singing of our salvation'.

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    1st incision
    en-gbAugust 20, 2023

    Resting in his protection

    Resting in his protection

    When Jesus faced hostility and struggle, it was to the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-122) that he turned.

    In the second talk of CMF's National Conference 2023, Jason Roach delves into Psalm 121 and the theme of 'Resting in his protection'.

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    1st incision
    en-gbAugust 19, 2023

    Crying out in our distress

    Crying out in our distress

    When Jesus faced hostility and struggle, it was to the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-122) that he turned.

    In the first talk of CMF's National Conference 2023, Jason Roach delves into Psalm 120 and the theme of 'Crying out in our distress'.

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    1st incision
    en-gbAugust 18, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 5: Mercy Killing in Cyprus

    Finger on the Pulse | 5: Mercy Killing in Cyprus

    In this week's episode, Sally and Ben do a deep dive into the case of David Hunter – the British Cypriot who was released by the Cypriot courts following the intentional killing of his terminally unwell wife. The episode explores the international landscape of euthanasia and mercy killing, reflects on the legal and ethical aspects of this tragic case, and discusses how Christian medics could respond if the UK legalises medically-assisted dying. 

    References:



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    1st incision
    en-gbAugust 09, 2023

    Finger on the Pulse | 4: AI, Deepfakes, and our New Reality

    Finger on the Pulse | 4: AI, Deepfakes, and our New Reality

    With AI hitting the headlines on a daily basis, Sally and Ben tackle the topic of deepfakes and their consequences on human connection. How will we be able to tell the difference between truth and fiction from this moment onwards and why does this matter?

    References

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    1st incision
    en-gbJuly 26, 2023

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Managing Money

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Managing Money

    'Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.' 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV).  

    Compared to many others, as doctors we can find ourselves with more money than we have time, and to be honest, at the end of a long week it’s hard to find the energy and motivation to think about whether we are using our money wisely.  

    It’s all too easy to compare our lifestyles with those slightly better off than us, and adjust our expectations without even noticing.  

    This is a stand-alone episode of the Junior Doctor Foundations' podcast series focused on the topic of managing the money God gives us; it combines Biblical principles with practical recommendations on how we tackle subjects such as giving, spending, saving, and debt.   

    Your host is Lizzy Kennedy (a junior doctor based in Devon); she is joined by guest Laurence Crutchlow (London based GP and Associate Head of CMF Student Ministries).   

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    Finger on the Pulse | 3: Is the NHS beyond repair?

    Finger on the Pulse | 3: Is the NHS beyond repair?

    In the week that the NHS turns 75 years old, Sally and Ben discuss the current state of the NHS. With patient satisfaction at an all-time low and staff sickness at an all-time high, is the NHS beyond repair? And what should we make of the recently announced government Long Term Workforce Plan?

    References:

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    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Sabbath Rest

    Junior Doctor Foundations - extra! Sabbath Rest

    'Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest...' 
    Matthew 11:28, The Message

    How can we find rest in God as trainee doctors?

    What could that look like amongst chaotic shift patterns, study, and juggling church and family responsibilities?

    This stand-alone episode of the Junior Doctor Foundations podcast series focuses on the topic of Sabbath. Why do we need a sabbath rest, why can it be hard to achieve, and what habits and practices do we need to cultivate this often-neglected discipline of Christian living?

    Your host is Lizzy Kennedy (a junior doctor based in Devon); she is joined by Felicia Wong (a GP and CMF Head of Doctor's Ministries), and guest speaker James Adams (GP, Founder of Charity No 11, and leader of a church plant in Manchester).

    Recommended Resources:

    Please email any feedback to: communications@cmf.org.uk

    Find out more about CMF's support for junior doctors at cmf.org.uk/juniors or email wellbeing@cmf.org.uk 

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    Finger on the Pulse | Episode 2: Jailed for an Abortion?

    Finger on the Pulse | Episode 2: Jailed for an Abortion?

    'Finger on the Pulse' is a new 1st incision series which aims to explore current affairs and contemporary issues related to medicine, the NHS and ethics, discussing them from a Christian perspective. 

    In this episode, we reflect on the recent sentencing of Carla Foster for a late-term, home abortion and discuss current abortion practices and beginning-of-life ethics. 

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