Celebrating our SAS doctors - Mike Rogers

11 October 2023

This SAS Doctors' Week Dr. Michael Rodgers, a Specialty Doctor at SHSC, shares his journey as an SAS doctor, highlighting the diverse expertise and unique contributions SAS doctors bring to patient care.

There are numerous pathways to becoming an SAS doctor, and for many, it offers a flexibility that traditional training routes may not provide. SAS doctors have the chance to tap into a diverse range of skills and prior experiences, bringing valuable expertise to their current clinical roles. In this blog Dr. Michael Rodgers, an SAS doctor at SHSC, shares a bit about his journey and role.

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"I'm Mike Rogers, a Specialty Doctor, one of the two groups within the SAS doctors, specialising in intensive mental health rehabilitation at Forest Close. While my team might not yet share my fascination with bowels (more on that below), I'm working on them!

"Initially trained in General Practice, I've always maintained a keen interest in physical health. My pre-medical school days saw me earning a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on 'guts,' hence my specialist interest in the field.

"As an SAS doctor, I've been encouraged to develop a portfolio of activities that I find both enjoyable and rewarding. Besides my work in mental health at Forest Close, I also lead efforts in physical health monitoring and improvement on the unit. The goal is to restore our patients to physical health parity with those who do not suffer with mental health challenges.

"Additionally, I serve as the undergraduate placement lead for medical students at Forest Close, overseeing the training and examination of our future doctors. I occasionally lecture medical students on the interplay between mental and physical health.

"Lastly, my unique passion lies in 'The Gut' (+/- its microbiome) and its relationship to our mental and physical well-being. The gut, with its microbiome, serves as our largest physical interface with the outside world. A growing body of evidence links the microbial contents of our bowels to our overall mental and physical health. There's ongoing international research examining the relationship between our gut microbiome and mental health.

"Being a little obsessed with all things ‘gut’, it has been satisfying to be allowed to make use of my past training in my current role."

Dr. Michael Rodgers showcases the versatility and expertise SAS doctors bring to SHSC, making a significant impact on patient care. Stay tuned for more insights and stories from our incredible SAS doctors during SAS Doctors' Week.