How To Cope When Your Life Changes Irrevocably, Dramatically and Completely But In An Instant

Jul 6, 2022

Vajrin Malin qualified as a doctor from Bristol Medical School in 1985. His postgraduate medical training was mostly in London, initially in Infectious Diseases. This took him to a lecturer position in Zimbabwe for two years where he had an interest in TB in HIV. He then undertook a PhD on TB vaccine design and finally completed his training including Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and General Medicine. He recently retired from 20 years as Respiratory Consultant in Bath. He's had a lifelong interest in training and education. In addition to his time in Africa, he was College Tutor for the Royal College of Physicians, Foundation Programme Director, Director of Medical Education in his hospital trust and Associate Postgraduate Dean for Health Education England (HEE) South West. He sat on the council for the NACT UK holding the office of Honorary Treasurer then Honorary Secretary. His HEE responsibilities included providing professional support for postgraduate trainees (PSW) and Supported Return to Training (SuppoRTT). He's taught in Uganda, he has been a NACT Eugene Meyer Travelling Fellow to North Carolina and written several documents for NACT. He was a keen triathlete competing in Ironman events, marathons and long distance cycle holidays with his wife and friends. He was ordained and given the name Vajrin (previously Adam) in the Western Buddhist Order (now Triratna) 16 years ago. 

 

Sadly, in February 2020, whilst undertaking a 3000km off-road cycle trip the length of New Zealand, he fell 20m down the gorge leaving him permanently paralysed from his chest down. However, he's had excellent rehabilitation, initially in Auckland and later Salisbury and Stoke Mandeville spinal units. After a stormy period in the first year of his spinal cord injury (four neurosurgical operations for a swollen spinal cord - SPAM). He is now back working one day a week for HEE seeing trainees and running a South West programme on supporting trainees who’ve had a break of 3 months or more. His interests include health and well-being, coaching (ILM5 trained), burnout, educational leadership and educational systems.

 

Selection of articles

• Supporting Locally Employed Doctors (LEDs) across the UK: The non-consultant non-training doctors. NACT UK 2017 (currently being updated)
• Putting an end to Black Wednesday: improving patient safety by achieving comprehensive trust induction and mandatory training by day 1 - Clinical Medicine 2016
• Vaccinia expression of mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 85 and ESAT-6 secreted proteins - Microbes Infect. 2000
• Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in Zimbabwe - Lancet 1995
• Leprosy in reaction: a medical emergency. Lesson of the Week - British Medical Journal 1991