Connected Conversations | Martin Bruening

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Martin Bruening and I am currently the Interim Dean of Medicine for the Adelaide Medical School. I completed my undergraduate degree at another university and embarked on a surgical career path, with training in Adelaide, Perth, and Alice Springs. 

I have been involved, in one way or another, with the University of Adelaide for over 30 years. Up to this year, I was a Senior Lecturer in Surgery for the Adelaide Rural Clinical School for the best part of 20 years, teaching mostly within the Year 4 surgical curriculum, but also at various other stages through the course.

Rural medicine is a great interest of mine and I have been fortunate enough to practice in several rural locations, most notably Port Augusta, Roxby Downs and Ceduna. Coupled with a desire to teach the next generation of practitioners, the rural relationship has been particularly effective. My greatest accomplishment is having a family who have continued to support me throughout my career.

What has been your journey to get where you are today? 

My journey commenced with internship and progression through the surgical training program. This was a path with the odd deviation, most notably an excellent year as an orthopaedic registrar in Alice Springs and undertaking the Edinburgh Surgical Fellowship. My initial advanced training year was in Perth and coincided with the arrival of my first child. A challenging time indeed!

What do you love most about working at the University of Adelaide? 

Given that I have had such a lengthy time at the University, the greatest thing about working here is seeing the progression in students over their time in the program and then watching them develop into medical practitioners post-graduation. The staff at the University never cease to amaze me with their knowledge and helpfulness.

Where’s your favourite spot on campus?

My favourite spot on campus is the Ray Last Anatomy Laboratories in the Helen Mayo buildings on Frome Road. I was an anatomy demonstrator there in 1992, and it proved to be the springboard for passing the surgical primary exam. The teaching was fun and highly relevant. My other favourite spot, is the Cloisters of Union House. For me, it has fond memories from the 80s seeing bands play and having a good time. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in health?

The ability to pursue multiple areas of interest and not being restricted to a single focus is what inspired me to undertake a career in health and, later in the journey, an opportunity to directly impact on peoples’ lives and improve their situation led me down the surgical path.

Have you ever had a life-changing experience? 

I had a major health issue which required a significant time away from work. Apart from the immediate problem of survival, it did make me realise that time spent away from my family, even in the service of helping others, cannot be recouped. It also made me painfully aware that there is nothing on TV during the day. My surgical workload altered following my time off and, in essence, led me to my current situation.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I was on the last South Australian episode of It’s Academic in 1979. The question that lost us a free trip to Sydney for the national finals was: “Who is the oil minister for Saudi Arabia?”.

Answer for those of you, like us, who didn’t know, was Sheikh Yamani. Not that I have dwelt on this…

What’s the motto that you live by?

I have a couple of favourites: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around in a while, you could miss it” (F.Bueller) and “Growing up’s not a matter of choice, it’s a matter of wait and see” (TISM).

What TV show are you currently bingeing? 

I am one of the few people who don’t binge. However, I do have a soft spot for Dr. Who and, if I were to binge, it would be the Tom Baker, David Tennant, and underrated Peter Davidson eras.

What do you hope to achieve in the next 10 years? 

I would like to continue to serve the University in any capacity which helps to ensure the continuing quality of our medical graduates. 

Realistically, retirement will be on the agenda and, typically, this is something that medicos, especially surgeons, have not handled well. More time spent on Yorke Peninsula and remaining relatively fit and well would be my priorities.