In his own words, unless there is a war Berni Einoder has performed his last surgery.
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After 41 years working as an orthopaedic surgeon, the 74-year-old put down the scalpel for the final time on Thursday.
The act culminated a career largely defined by his work outside of the operating theatre – championing for improvements to Northern Tasmania’s health system.
Through his role as both director of surgery and chief executive at Launceston General Hospital in the 80s, the outspoken doctor said he fought for many changes – and won.
“Things were going pretty crook and I was a very outspoken young surgeon,” he said.
“While most of the other guys had grown up with the show, I had come from Europe came back and thought – let’s cut this out.
“I wanted to get changes, but those changes were hard to come by because as you could imagine, the bureaucrats don’t actually do anything.
“I wasn’t for that at all, so we decided to make changes and I had plenty of help.
“We decided the only way to get things done was from the top down. It is still like that.”
Born in Austria, Dr Einoder studied medicine at Monash University in Melbourne.
Graduating with honours in 1967, after a two-year residency at the Alfred Hospital and a year in general practice including work in the Pacific Islands, Dr Einoder set his sights on surgery.
It was a locum position that first brought him to Launceston in 1975.
However, it didn’t take long for him to recognise the lifestyle benefits that came with living in a state like Tasmania and he decided to stay.
“I could get to all of my favourite things within an hour – bushwalking, fishing and skiing. Why would I want to leave,” he said.
If he hadn’t obtained a scholarship to study medicine, Dr Einoder said his only other option was to become a farm hand.
Luckily, in many ways, he has been able to fulfil both dreams with a large property in Perth expected to take up much of his time in his retirement.
This includes his role as a shareholder of Adams Distillery. He is also looking forward to spending more time with family, including his wife Anna, his three sons, two daughters and six grandchildren.
As for the decision to step down from surgery, Dr Einoder said he was motivated by his own health challenges.
“About six months ago I needed to get an artificial knee, so that made me think maybe it’s about time I start enjoying my life, rather than just working all the time,” he said.
“I see so many of my friends who start to get crook, saying ‘I am going to do this, this and this when I retire. But when they do retire they have run out of gas.
“Although I really love the job I have got. I love operating, I love seeing patients and I love teaching.
“But then again you have to love yourself as well, so what about my share.
“It is a bit of entertainment, pleasure and no phone calls in the middle of the night.”
Along with his love for operating, Dr Eionder also has a passion for teaching – something he has been doing ever since he became a consultant surgeon.
He said he will continue to mentor Launceston’s junior doctors, with a focus on determination, dedication, discipline and perseverance.
“The important thing about surgery is not the number, it’s the quality of the operations,” he said.
“The average surgeon that is a full-time surgeon spends a third of his time in the operating theatre, a third of his time in the clinic, and a third doing all of the other things you need to do.
“It comes down to the quality of the work you do – the results at the end of it all.
“That needs to be taught and once you become a consultant, you teach others.
“It would be a pity with all of my knowledge if I just spent all of my time gardening – which I love doing.
“But I am more than happy to continue teaching, which I have always done for free and will continue to do for free.”
Dr Eionder said he will also continue to follow up with former patients, as well as referrals for the management of musculoskeletal pain.