Dr. Ulrika Sandvik operates on children’s brains at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Ten years into her neurosurgery career, one refugee child’s case shook her so deeply that she enrolled in philosophy classes to find answers.

In this episode, Dr. Sandvik reveals:

- How a refugee girl from Africa became her "tipping point" into philosophy & medical ethics

- Serving on ethics boards: assisted suicide, AI in surgery, and sanctity of life

- Why West Africa has only 1 neurosurgeon per 1.7 million people — and what she's doing about it

- What it’s like being an expedition medical officer to Antarctica (15-hour whiteout journey)

- How her grandfather’s life shaped her values of resilience, pushing boundaries, and balancing grit with curiosity

From a Finnish farm with no academic role models to the operating rooms of one of the world's most prestigious medical institutions, Dr. Sandvik's journey spans continents, disciplines, and the deepest questions about human life.

Story by A. David Singh: Harry Potter’s 11th birthday

Mentioned in this episode:

Swedish African Neurosurgery Collaboration: https://www.sanc.se

Swedish Polar Research Secretariat: https://www.polar.se/en

Ulrika’s textile art: https://www.instagram.com/aurorabotanicasthlm

ABOUT ME: I'm an author, proud dog-dad, neurosurgeon, & medical podcaster. Welcome to my website: https://www.adavidsingh.com

If you like my work, buy me a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/adavidsingh

VIDEO PODCAST (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/@ADavidSingh

AUDIO PODCAST: https://pod.link/1805318329

EXPLORE MY BOOKS:
Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/A4tkAmsV3nk
Visit the website: https://MagicalRome.com

WELCOME TO MY WORLD:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ADavidSinghAuthor
Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/ADavidSingh
Email: david@adavidsingh.com

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My guest is Dr. Ravi Kannan. In this episode of the Oath & Staff Podcast, he talks about the core values of Cachar Cancer Hospital, the poor patients he serves, and why his colleagues are his greatest rewards.

Link mentioned in this episode:
Cachar Cancer Hospital: https://cacharcancerhospital.org/

ABOUT ME: I'm an author, proud dog-dad, neurosurgeon, & medical podcaster. Welcome to my website: https://www.adavidsingh.com

If you like my work, buy me a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/adavidsingh

VIDEO PODCAST (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/@ADavidSingh

AUDIO PODCAST: https://pod.link/1805318329

EXPLORE MY BOOKS:
Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/A4tkAmsV3nk
Visit the website: https://MagicalRome.com

WELCOME TO MY WORLD:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ADavidSinghAuthor
Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/ADavidSingh
Email: david@adavidsingh.com

Support the show

My guest is Dr. Sam Ebenezer Athikarisamy. In this episode of the Oath & Staff Podcast, he talks about his life as a neonatologist, and his research, clinical work, and challenges in Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Shalini Mishra’s video - https://youtu.be/JXGnOuId7xs

ABOUT ME: I'm an author, proud dog-dad, neurosurgeon, & medical podcaster. Welcome to my website: https://www.adavidsingh.com

If you like my work, buy me a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/adavidsingh

VIDEO PODCAST (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/@ADavidSingh

AUDIO PODCAST: https://pod.link/1805318329

EXPLORE MY BOOKS:
Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/A4tkAmsV3nk
Visit the website: https://MagicalRome.com

WELCOME TO MY WORLD:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ADavidSinghAuthor
Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/ADavidSingh
Email: david@adavidsingh.com

Support the show