FACEM David Bertoni grew up thinking it would be nice to be a generalist rather than focusing on a single clinical area. He was going to be a GP. Years later – almost twenty – he is not quite where he imagined, but he’s become a FACEM, an almost FCICM, and is pretty happy nonetheless.
He chose emergency medicine for the camaraderie he found during his early exposure to the specialty.
‘I love the way everyone works as a big team in ED and I really enjoy the medicine, but it was good as well that most of the docs seemed to have fairly balanced lives and interests outside of medicine.
‘That’s pretty important to me. I am a musician outside of medicine and it’s been essential as an outlet.’
David says the creativity of music has been a push-back for him against some of the more stifling aspects of a career in medicine.
‘It’s easy for interests and hobbies fall by the wayside as the next exam or other career hurdle comes along.
Since arriving in Hobart as a medical student, he has taken solace in the city’s strong music scene.
‘There’s a very passionate bunch of people driving it. It has connected me to a social scene that has nothing to do with medicine. For me it’s been really vital and is something I really valued earlier in my career, and still do.’
This year he will play at the ASM Dinner, something he also did the last time the conference was in Hobart (in 2012).
‘The lead-up to the 2012 ASM was pretty nerve-wracking. I was used to playing at gigs where everyone had fairly similar expectations musically, but I realised there would be a huge range of ages, backgrounds and musical tastes in the room at the conference.’
He based his set around funk and disco – ‘they’re pretty timeless’ – and said he found the crowd was open-minded and just as keen to have fun.
‘I had a great time. What I found in the crowd brings me back full circle to why I chose emergency medicine. Everyone was pretty open-minded and willing to have a good time. I shouldn’t have been surprised.’
This year he plans to play more in the background as the evening progresses and is taking a different approach following study in music production and theory.
‘I’m aiming to present an interesting set drawing on the past and present (and maybe even a bit of the future) of dance music that will build a pretty good party vibe. Depending on the night it might take a few different directions.’
Background
This year’s ACEM ASM will be held in Hobart from 17 to 21 November. The theme is ‘the changing climate of emergency medicine’.
