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SASMA

by South African Sports Medicine Association

Medicine Sports

Season 4

Medicine on Two Wheels: Inside the Tour de France with Dr David Ogg

In this exciting SASMA podcast, Dr Kerry-Ann Walton interviews her colleague, Dr David Ogg, after his recent success as one of team UAE’s team doctors at the Tour de France. David is a highly experienced medical doctor with a distinguished career in both emergency and sports medicine. In 2023, he joined the medical team for the UAE Team Emirates cycling team, and has just finished working his first Tour De France. In this podcast, David gives first-hand advice on many cycling-associated pathologies one can come across when working on a Grand Tour.

Supporting Mental Health and Performance at Multi-Sport Games

Join sports psychiatrist Dr James Burger as he interviews Team SA sports psychologist Dr Koketjo Tsebe from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Together, they discuss mental preparation, athlete wellbeing, supporting performance under pressure, navigating post-Games challenges, and the practical realities of providing psychological care in elite sport. An insightful conversation for athletes, coaches, clinicians, and anyone passionate about helping athletes thrive both in sport and beyond.

Beyond the Degree: Life, Balance, and Reinvention After the PhD

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated. The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical. In this 6th and final episode, host Janesh Ganda sits down with Prof. Benita Olivier — Professor of Rehabilitation at Oxford Brookes University and Director of the Wits Cricket Research Hub for Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, and founder of the Research Masterminds Success Academy focused on postgraduate productivity and work-life balance — alongside Ellen Dobson, Postdoctoral and Graduate Program Manager at the Morgridge Institute for Research, whose work centers on career development and networking for researchers transitioning beyond academia. Together they unpack what happens after the thesis is submitted: navigating identity shifts, career pivots, and sustaining wellbeing during and after doctoral study. The conversation draws on Benita’s own journey — completing her PhD in 2013 on cricket fast bowling biomechanics before building a career spanning clinical academia, sports science, and postgraduate mentorship — and Ellen’s experience guiding postdocs and graduate students through career exploration and networking strategies that go beyond the traditional academic track. Listeners will come away with practical insight into balancing research demands with personal life, redefining success after the PhD, and building a sustainable career path in academia, clinical practice, or industry.

“The Emails, The Edits, The Expectations” – The Research Love Story

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated. The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical. In this fifth episode, we look at what really happens behind the scenes of a Masters or PhD journey. Beyond the proposals, deadlines, and late-night edits lies one of the most influential relationships in academia — the one between a researcher and their supervisor. In this insightful episode, Dr Aasha Parshotam sits down with world-renowned researcher Professor Benita Olivier and Sports and Exercise Medicine specialist and PhD candidate, Dr Dhavina Naidoo to unpack the realities of postgraduate research. From setting expectations and navigating difficult feedback to building resilience, confidence, and academic independence — this conversation explores the challenges, growth, and mentorship that shape not just your thesis, but your identity as a researcher. Whether you’re considering a Masters, deep in your PhD journey, or supervising the next generation of researchers, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest reflections, and lessons you’ll wish you heard sooner.

Research Podcast Series: AI in Research

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated. The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical. In this fourth episode of the series, we are joined by Professor Benita Olivier, to take us through the use of artificial intelligence in research. Can we use it? How do we use it safely, and is it cheating? Together, we unpack this topic and delve into the complexities that research may bring.

The science behind the game: Inside cricket’s first sports medicine textbook

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, cricket clinician Nick Pereira sits down with John W. Orchard and Benita Olivier — editors and co-authors of Cricket Sports Medicine — to unpack the making of cricket’s first dedicated sports medicine textbook and what it means for the future of the game. Bringing together contributors from across the global cricket landscape, the textbook represents a landmark step in bridging the gap between research, rehabilitation, performance, and real-world clinical practice. Across 39 chapters, it explores the unique medical and performance demands of cricket, from injury epidemiology and rehabilitation to youth athlete development and return-to-play decision making. Drawing on his experience as former Chief Medical Officer of Cricket Australia, Dr Orchard shares insights from decades working at the highest level of the game, including the persistent challenge of lumbar stress injuries in fast bowlers, the realities of load management, and how clinicians can better use injury surveillance and classification systems in practice. Prof Olivier provides the academic lens, discussing the collaborative process behind the textbook, the importance of standardising knowledge in cricket medicine, and the ongoing challenge of translating evidence into meaningful clinical outcomes. The link to purchase the textbook is available below: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-6321-7

From Performance to Pathology: Altitude Medicine Unpacked

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Dr Kerry Walton is joined by Dr Sean Gottschalk to explore the extremes of emergency and sport and exercise medicine: Exercising at altitude. Inspired by insights from their own experiences, Sean and Kerry share some top tips on expeditions to altitude and what to expect and be ready for in terms of medical challenges. 10 top tips for aspiring expedition medics on how to summit Mount Kilimanjaro: 1) Get yourself a mentor 2) Befriend the stair master at the gym 3) Do not compromise on gear (especially your sleeping bag) 4) Wear in your hiking boots 5) Double glove 6) Protect your eyes 7) Create a ‘buddy system’ amongst the hikers 8) ‘Pole Pole’ (Ascend slowly) 9) ‘Sippy Sippy’ (Stay hydrated) 10) Success is getting everyone down safely, not to the summit.

Research Podcast Series: Thrive, Don't just survive

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated. The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical. In this third episode of the series, we are joined by Professor Benita Olivier, and Franso-Marie Olivier to unpack whether it is possible for a balance to exist between research and life. Can we maintain our sanity? Can a social life and well-being exist while conducting research? Links as discussed in the podcast: Rethinking work-life balance: A researcher's guide to designing a sustainable academic life: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/blog/rethinking-work-life-balance From struggling to flourishing: a research-backed framework for PhD wellbeing and productivity: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/blog/phd-wellbeing-and-productivity Why your research identity matters as much as your methodology: The hidden foundation of academic success: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/blog/why-your-research-identity-matters Energy management: The secret weapon in academic productivity: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/blog/energy-management-in-academic-productivity

Research Podcast Series: Smarter Research Starts Here: Study Design & Proposal Development

Welcome to the Research Masterclass series, a collaboration between the SASMA Podcast and the Research Masterminds Success Academy. This series was created for clinicians, academics, and professionals who are curious about research but often find the academic world opaque, intimidating, or complicated. The aim of this series is to slow that conversation down. We want to unpack research in a way that is honest, grounded, and practical. In this second episode of the series, we are joined by Professor Benita Olivier, to take us through how to develop a proposal as well as the study design research hub. Together, we unpack this topic and delve into the complexities that research may bring. Links as discussed in the podcast: The hidden cost of choosing the wrong study design: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/choosing-the-wrong-study-design Study Designs & Research Methods Resource Hub: https://www.researchmasterminds.com/courses/128704-study-designs-research-methods-resource

Sports Dentistry

In this episode of the SASMA Podcast, host Dr Aasha Parshotam is joined by Dr Bhavik Ganda, Dr Umair Mohammed, and Dr John Haughey to explore the emerging field of sports dentistry and its growing role in athlete health and performance. From the prevention and management of dentofacial injuries to the impact of oral health on recovery, fatigue, and confidence, the discussion highlights why dentistry should be an integral part of the multidisciplinary sports medicine team. Inspired by insights from the South African Sports Dentistry Conference, this episode sheds light on how clinicians, coaches, and athletes can better protect both performance and long-term oral health.

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