Retirement does not mean a doctor has to stop loving medicine or wanting to be involved in training the next generation of clinicians, says Ian Turnbull.
Edinburgh born Turnbull was a consultant neuroradiologist at North Manchester General Hospital for 19 years and then at Salford Royal Hospital until his retirement in 2008. Since then, until very recently, he was an honorary consultant neuroradiologist to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in a teaching role for fourth year medical students at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Wales, and a teaching lead at Glan Clwyd Hospital.
Turnbull has never lost his enthusiasm for medicine. “To this day I find it exciting. After retiring I kept up to date with the literature and contributed a little bit to it as well,” he says. He decided to focus on radiology as it brings together all aspects of medicine, “from the prenatal stage in obstetrics and gynaecology right through to paediatrics, and then the whole spectrum from early birth to geriatric patients.”
For 11 years after retiring he taught—from his home—Manchester trainees who were seeking fellowships for the Royal College of Radiologists, which awarded him the Trainer Award 2011 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to UK radiology training.
He has also mentored many other doctors over his career, explaining, “It wasn’t onerous, and they all knew they could phone me day or night if they had a problem. Sometimes it was their health or their marriage, or that they weren’t getting on with their consultant.”
Communication and courtesy are the bedrocks of being a good doctor, he says. “One of the first things I say when I am teaching is, ‘Just pretend for a minute that you’re coming to tell me that my wife’s got multiple sclerosis and I don’t understand the first thing about medicine. How would you explain it to me?’ It’s astonishing how often they can’t and then you build from that.
“Another thing I try to encourage is courtesy. We have to recognise that there are some patients who are difficult to manage for all sorts of reasons. We have to work out how to deal with that, as well as with colleagues from many different backgrounds.”
Training is vital to producing a good doctor, he says. “When you’re building something, you want a solid base—whether that’s a house or somebody’s career. With teaching, it’s crucial that trainees get to a point where they really understand what they need to know—and they really understand what they’re doing.”
His advice to younger doctors is straightforward. He says, “Be open minded about medicine and realise that you’re not treating the disease, you’re treating the patient.”
Nominated by Indrajit Chatterjee (Chattopadhyay)
“Dr Turnbull has inspired me by demonstrating his continuing passion for education and learning after retiring from the NHS.
“Since his retirement, Dr Turnbull had dedicated his time teaching neuroradiology and basic interpretation of computed tomography and magnetic resonance brain and spine images to medical students, junior doctors, consultants, and other professionals, such as stroke specialist nurses and radiographers.
“Dr Turnbull has been a regular contributor to our hospital’s grand rounds and other educational platforms related to doctors in training of all grades. He would undertake all these commitments voluntarily.
“By his actions, Dr Turnbull demonstrates multiple qualities that inspire me—confidence through excellence in knowledge and skills, dedication, selflessness, humility, relentless pursuit towards high standards, and a tremendous enthusiasm to contribute towards the NHS and undergraduate studies.”
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Indrajit Chatterjee (Chattopadhyay) is clinical director elderly care and community hospitals, IHC Central, and consultant geriatrician at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, Wales.