Glasgow Alumni Column - An Interview with Prof. Rev. Sturrock and Eddie Carberry

Abstract

For our first Surgo alumni column we wanted to include an interview between former
student Eddie Carberry and rheumatology consultant and medical school chaplain
Prof. Rev. Roger Sturrock.
I trained in medicine at the Westminster Medical School
in London and worked in London before coming up to
Glasgow to work as a lecturer. The opportunity arose for
me to work in Nigeria for a little while and I taught in the
Ahmadu Bello University hospital which at the time was
the only medical school in the North of Nigeria. I later
returned to Glasgow to head up the Centre For Rheumatic
Diseases. Teaching and clinical research have always been
an important part of my working week.
I have been involved in church life since my teenage years.
Towards the end of my career I trained as a Reader in the
Church of Scotland and subsequently was ordained as a
Church of Scotland minister after returning to university
as a student, graduating in Divinity. I am now an honorary
Church of Scotland chaplain to the University and I have
just taken on the role as chaplain to the medical school.
I see myself as hopefully providing Spiritual Care and
advice to all students of whatever faith group or none.
Roger Sturrock

Eddie Carberry, FY1
Having dropped in to Roger's Wednesday afternoon
clinic in the Wolfson Library Room 10, I can say that his
skills of relating ethical and spiritual guidance to the
trials and tribulations of life as a medical student are
incredibly useful. I would personally recommend
dropping by for a chat if you have anything on your
mind

An Interview with Prof. Rev. Sturrock and Eddie
Carberry
I took the opportunity to attend one of Roger's Sunday morning sermons at Kelvinside
Hillhead Church. Interestingly, Roger manages to weave the religious aspects of his
sermons into relevant advice and guidance for his congregation- Eddie.
“ Your title is Revered Professor, what
would you prefer students called you?”
Roger.
“ What is the best cytokine?”
It depends on your perspective! Some
cytokines are good - enhancing the
inflammatory response to tumours
whereas others have the opposite effect.
My favourite cytokine is TNF alpha!
"What is the link between rheumatoid
factor and The X-Factor?" (the singing
contest TV show run by Simon Cowell).
They are both easy to spot but with
uncertain outcomes.
“ Do you believe in hell?”
If you mean fiery flames and devils with
horns and tails, then the answer is no.
Sometimes we create our own hell for
ourselves.
"And unrelated to the previous question:
Have you ever had to present a patient at
a morning ward round after too many
pints of Fun the night before?" (a 'pint of
fun' is now the signature drink at the
Glasgow University Union, it's a deadly
cocktail made with a triple measure of
vodka and tastes like fruit juice. It's
responsible for the majority of student
hangovers).
The short answer is no but as a junior
Doctor on one occasion I had to guide an
inebriated consultant on a ward round!
“ What's important about spiritual care
in healthcare workers?”
The NHS is now recognising the
importance of spiritual care for
healthcare workers. It is about helping
the inner person to cope with the
stresses of health care and to get things
in the right perspective. How to cope
with suffering and death etc.
“ Would following all religions increase
my chances of getting into an afterlife?”
No! I guess that it would be very
confusing to follow every religion. It is
not quantity that counts but quality!
“ There have been many famous
scientists who were also greatly
religious, have you ever found it difficult
to think like a scientist and keep faith in
religion?”
No. If anything religion helps to spur one
on to understand how God works in
creation