We met Prof. Linton for a one-on-one short interview. A doctor who is a pilot...

Q : Prof. Linton, can you please give us a short introduction to your personal biography ?

A: I was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1950 and went to school and University there. My parents were pharmacists and I worked in their pharmacy in the school holidays. Initially I thought I would be a surgeon and trained in General Surgery and Gynecology, but realized that I wanted to be part of the development of intensive care, so trained in anesthesiology and then moved to Cape Town and trained in pediatric anesthesiology and worked in pediatric and then adult intensive care at all the University of Cape Town Hospitals. I was also well trained in pulmonology at Groote Schuur University Hospital in Cape Town as the Intensive Care was under the care of Respiratory physicians. I became head of this ICU in the mid 90's and in 1996 I was invited to start the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah in Jerusalem. Over the past 14 years I have developed this Unit to be the tertiary Intensive Care facility for the most  complicated medical problems in Israel.

Q : Can you please give us the highlights of your medical career so far ?

A: I started medical school in South Africa in 1970 and have been in an academic medical school environment since then. So, I have been studying the art of medicine for 39 years and continue to learn something new every day. Basically… this is the highlight of my medical career – learning something new all the time ! 

Q : We know you have this strange combination of intensive care specialist and professional pilot – what does it mean ?

A: I have always loved flying and have managed to combine my work in Intensive Care Medicine with Air Ambulance flying. For 10 years I was the Honorary Chief Medical Officer of the South African Red Cross Air Mercy Service; and as I developed the advanced medical aspects of this service I developed my professional pilot expertise in tandem and achieved my commercial pilot licenses in South Africa and Israel. In Israel I developed the first dedicated airborne intensive care training foundation and turbine aircraft air ambulance service in the Middle East.

Q : We know medicine become more and more specialized profession. What does it really mean in your specific field ?

A: Intensive Care Medicine is a complicated multidisciplinary science as well as a refined art. Decision making is complex and good judgment needs years of experience and insight. Available technologies and treatment options are expanding all the time and one has to keep abreast of developments to achieve the best possible outcome in every patient.

Q : What are the major trends in this discipline ? how do you think your expertise will change in 10 years from now?

A: Intensive Care, like many branches of high technology medicine is becoming more and more non-invasive as the years go by. I believe that investigations and interventions will become more "robotic" and non-invasive in future years and outcomes will improve.  Mortality and morbidity rates will continue to drop in ICU as they have done in good ICU units over recent years,

Q : Prof. Linton, what are your hobbies ?

A: Being a husband and a father ( I have 5 children); flying airplanes (all kinds of light aircraft including jets); swimming; sailing and windsurfing; playing the piano; whatever I have time for !

Q : Prof. Linton, as some one who held so many times life in his hands – there is super power some where? God ?

A: We are all G'ds messengers and workers. Our achievements are only because he wants us to do what we are doing. He decides who live and who dies and when !