An Unlikely Medical Officer of Health

Anyone who has met me knows I like to chat (and then some). Don’t be in a hurry to go anywhere if you get me started on something that interests me. I figured I’d might as well put my gift of gab to good use and add a podcast component to the Pairodocs.

This was the first podcast I recorded, although the 2nd I posted. Apologies for sound quality or editing glitches, but I’m doing this on my own and am definitely an amateur. Although the technical quality might be lacking, I think the actual substance will be of interest.

Matt Strauss is someone I would call an “unlikely medical officer of health”. It’s not what he set out to be, but I think he is just right for the job, and I hope we can get more like him. Matt is a critical care physician, but has a background in the humanities and in journalism. His work has been published in many places, from the National Post to The Spectator in the UK.

He is currently the medical officer of health for Haldimand-Norfolk in Ontario - Queen’s Medicine’s loss was their gain. His wife just had their first child (a girl! And congrats to both of them) recently so I’m sure he is a seriously busy guy these days.

It’s amazing to talk to someone who can easily flow from talking about David Hume’s is-ought problem, into relative risk reduction data. Our conversation ranged from why Matt doesn’t wear a bike helmet (and why I agree), to the harms of masks, to what the role of an MOH should be.

You can google Matt Strauss to find many of his articles, or follow him on Twitter @strauss_matt

Thanks to Matt again for taking the time.

As I’m very new to podcasting, suggestions and comments are appreciated. I plan to get a better microphone so that you can hear me better, as I realize the sound quality is thus far not the best.

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