Dr Duncan Syme is a general practitioner and Vice President of The Australian Medical Professionals' Society (AMPS). With over 35 years of experience in the medical field, Dr Syme has dedicated his career to diverse areas such as drug and alcohol treatment, geriatric care, travel medicine, and research.
However, in February 2022, he was suspended under the emergency powers of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian medical board. This suspension was a result of an investigation into a complaint made against Dr Syme for writing an exemption/support letter for patients who were hesitant about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. In this conversation, Dr Syme reflects on his experiences over the past three years. We discuss the core principles that guide his medical practice, upcoming amendments to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and international health law, cognitive dissonance arising from Australia's response to COVID-19, challenges related to medical censorship, the need for improvements in healthcare systems and society, and his personal philosophy on life and commitment to self-improvement. He graduated from Monash University in 1987 and completed his postgraduate qualifications in general practice in both the UK and Australia.