Vector Volume 11 Issue 1 - 2017

soft-drinks in day-to-day practice. It’s a case
that speaks to the astounding intricacy of global
health work, and the manner with which problems
can be solved in the most unconventional of
ways.
Life experience and medicine - how does
everything relate?
One of the things that became apparent
to me regarding Hilmers’ work is an ability
to extract the positive attributes needed in
previous work, and apply them to his current
setting. He credits his military training with giving
him a “coolness under fire”, his engineering
and mathematics background with a logical
thought process, and finally his N.A.S.A flight
experience with a systematic, step-by-step
approach to problem solving - all experiences
that have shown themselves to be invaluable.
Therein lies a lesson for all students: take on
board every opportunity to grow your skillset,
as it will lend itself in ways that may not yet
seem apparent This is, in fact, one of Hilmers’
central advocacy arguments for continued
work on the International Space Station,
that space exploration and experimentation
confers benefits to medical practice that are
not foreseeable, and vice versa. For example,
treatments that are developed to deal with the
marked muscle atrophy, bone loss and vision
impairment associated with long-term space
travel, can then be applied to everyday medical
practice.
Going forward - individual practitioners and
the profession
So, what advice did Hilmers have for future
medical practitioners as we move into our
practicing years? Principally, it is important to
work in a practice or organisation that allows
you to follow your passion. Be that working solely
within the W.H.O or Medecins Sans Frontieres,
or perhaps academia with concurrent research
and clinical duties, there is a balance that every
person needs to figure out for themselves.
Indeed, Australia is unique in the tremendous
scope of medical opportunities available.
Depending on your location, you can experience
tropical disease in the far north states, noncommunicable
disease in the mid-states, and
the reality of disadvantaged communities
in rural-remote locations. This does beg the
question as to whether global health lends
itself more to international health, as it seems
to be viewed traditionally, or universal well-being
within your own context or circumstance. There
are no borders, rules or regulations as to what
constitutes “global health”, only the limits of our
imagination and creativity. Regardless, if you
want to work in global health, the first step is
finding an area of medicine you have a burning
passion for – the rest will follow as natural
sequelae.
Ebola protective gear
As the mid-century approaches, the threat
of climate change, antibiotic resistance and
the management of ethical conundrums – such
as gene editing and healthcare equity – are
all very real problems that our generation will
have to face. It was saddening to hear Hilmers
recall scenes of polluted, diverted or dammed
lakes from space, of burning forests and haze
hovering over cities, but that is the reality we
live in. It does, therefore, imply that we hold at
least part of the solution to the problems we
face. In what form the specific solution will
take, however, only time can tell. It is, however,
abundantly clear that in going forward we
should learn from leaders like Professor David
Hilmers, whose experience is entirely unique
and profound.
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