Meet Dr Chris Boberg
Sitting in a laboratory late one night working on his biochemistry research, Dr Chris Boberg looked around at the test tubes on his bench and realised his real passion was for working with people.
The very next year, 1978, the Bachelor of Science graduate entered medical school and went on to enjoy a rewarding and varied career as a general practitioner.
It wasn鈥檛 an easy decision however. Chris notes that researchers at the time were making fascinating new discoveries about metabolism, recombinant DNA, and gene research.聽
In his career as a GP though, Chris was just as much of a pioneer as he had been as a biochemistry researcher; in the late 鈥90s he was one of Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 first doctors to be trained to use dermoscopes.
鈥淰ery early on I knew that dermoscopes would make a massive difference when it came to picking up melanoma early,鈥 says Chris.鈥
鈥淭hat wasn鈥檛 widely accepted early on though. When I came back from an Australian conference 鈥 with what I think was the first dermoscope in the country 鈥 one of our local dermatologists got in touch with me.
鈥淗e told me the dermatologists in town had attended a meeting and were confident that this tech wouldn鈥檛 catch on. I was stunned 鈥 but it did motivate me to prove him wrong.鈥
Aotearoa New Zealand has the world鈥檚 highest incidence rate of melanoma, and more than 350 Kiwis die of melanoma every year according to the Ministry of Health.
Chris firmly believes that no one in New Zealand should die from melanoma, and one of the keys to achieving this is early detection.
鈥淎ll 澳门六合彩app下载 can use the dermascope, and they can learn how to do it quickly. It gives you the ability to check opportunistically for spots, and to get people back for full skin checks."
鈥湴拿帕喜蔭pp下载 in Australia and New Zealand are recognised internationally as managing our response to skin cancer really well, but we can always do better and look to improve.鈥鈥
Chris is passionate about ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is at the forefront of quality patient care, and enjoys doing his bit to advocate for skin cancer awareness, prevention and treatment.
Some of his advocacy roles include serving as co-Chair of MelNet, representing 澳门六合彩app下载 on the Ministry of Health鈥檚 Melanoma Standards Committee, and participating in the New Zealand Skin Cancer Strategic Planning Group.
Chris is also President of New Zealand Skin Cancer Doctors, a society of 澳门六合彩app下载 with further education and training in diagnosing and managing skin cancer. The society has established skin cancer peer groups around the country, for 澳门六合彩app下载 and skin cancer doctors to discuss cases and learn together.
鈥淎s 澳门六合彩app下载, we love learning and we enjoy sharing what we know. That鈥檚 why the peer groups are so successful, no question.
鈥淕eneral practice is a true vocation 鈥 it requires multi-tasking and up-to-date knowledge, so we all want the opportunity to learn from each other.鈥
Chris credits this collegial learning approach as one of the strategies that help him stay healthy and well.聽
鈥淎s a young GP you feel invincible and you have tonnes of energy. When you get to mid-life you realise you can鈥檛 sustain that, and you develop strategies for taking care of yourself.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to take stock and have 鈥榤e鈥 time, engage with my family, and stay close to my colleagues. It helps to talk about things, to share things.鈥
