Surf, Science, and Survival: A Doctor’s Life in Remote Medicine

<p>From remote surf camps in Indonesia to some of the most isolated islands in the South Atlantic, <strong>Gemma van Huyssteen</strong> has built a career shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and medicine far beyond hospital walls.</p><p>In this episode, Gemma shares her journey as a GP with extensive experience in remote, wilderness, and marine environments. She talks candidly about working in settings where evacuation can take days, resources are limited, and clinical decision-making relies as much on preparation and judgement as formal protocols.</p><p>You’ll hear about:<br>• Providing medical care in remote Indonesian surf communities<br>• Managing hazardous marine and wilderness injuries in austere environments<br>• Life and clinical responsibility aboard highly isolated research vessels<br>• Teaching and working around dive and marine-related injuries in challenging settings<br>• Why stepping outside conventional medical career pathways can open unexpected doors</p><p>This conversation explores what real-world remote medicine looks like, the nuance between training and lived experience, and how surfing, science, and medicine intersect in places where help is never close by.</p><p><strong>Follow more of Gemma’s work:</strong><br>Surfing Doctors Association: <a href="https://surfingdoctors.com/" target="_new" rel="noopener">https://surfingdoctors.com/</a><br>Instagram: @gemstargazer – <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gemstargazer" target="_new" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/gemstargazer</a></p><p><strong>Connect with Marcus:</strong><br><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-stevens" target="_new" rel="noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-stevens</a></p><p>A thoughtful, grounded discussion about building a meaningful medical career off the beaten path, and being honest about what experience really looks like in extreme environments.</p>