Very sad to hear of the passing of Dr David Sturgeon, retired consultant liaison psychiatrist.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jul/09/david-sturgeon-obituary
I remember SO clearly my placement as a 4th year medical student, on Dr Sturgeon’s Liaison Psychiatry team at UCLH.
Until that point I had in mind I might be an Orthopaedic Surgeon. I had no concept of psychiatry as a career. In truth, I’d not really encountered severe mental illness, certainly not with my eyes open. I had no idea what to expect.
We began the day by going, not directly to the ward, but to a coffee shop on Tottenham Court Road. He bought all 3 or 4 of us students a hot drink. This was unheard of generosity! We sat down to have a conversation….
He said something about what to expect, and steeled us a little for the day ahead. I don’t remember his words entirely, I was still so shocked that a consultant had bought me a coffee and wanted to interact in this human way, with us.
Feeling entirely at ease, I followed him to an acute medical ward, where we met a patient who had made a serious attempt on her life. Again, I was naive, and this was pretty shocking stuff. How could anyone be this desperate? How would you begin to explore the story?
Immediately, in the quiet side room, I observed a process I had never before encountered. An intoxicating mix of compassion, thoughtfulness, inquisitivity, patience, & deep, deep understanding. He seemed to KNOW her immediately, reading her effortlessly. They had never met before.
Psychodynamic interpretations flowed. The emphasis was not on illness, and cure, but shared sense-making. He showed me the biopsychosocial formulation, live.
On we went to another complex patient, whom the surgical team believed was “interfering” with their own recovery by opening up their wounds. My jaw must have been on the floor when I watched him at work. Effortlessly kind and curious in equal measure.
This was the first day I wasn’t bolting for the door to go to a social event, sports, or the pub…. I was mesmerised and wanted to see more.
I think the placement was 4 weeks, but I was won over to psychiatry in that very first morning. This was revolutionary stuff for me. A privilege to watch someone so masterful in their communication, with such purpose and a determination to explore emotional difficulty, head-on.
It was THE turning point in my medical education, without a doubt, and perhaps the most profound of introductions I’ve ever had.
As with all the most inspirational teachers, Dr Sturgeon had made me feel like I was being handed a baton; that the encounters had been for ME, as well as the patients. That I was part of a core tradition of inter-generational learning.
He seemed to have all the time in the world, for the patients, and for us as students.
This obituary shows I was far from the only doctor in training to have such a formative experience. Dr Sturgeon must have given 100s if not 1000s of such impressions over decades of teaching.
And the truth is, I’ll be happy if only ONE student feels as inspired by me as I was by him, back in 2005.
Rest In Peace.
Connected Child Health 