UC 418: The Courage to Question: Dr. Charlie Teo’s Journey Through Medicine and Controversy

In this powerful episode, world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Charlie Teo opens up about his journey in medicine and his commitment to patient-centered care. Charlie dives into the systemic challenges facing doctors today, medical governance issues, media misinformation, and the pressure to conform, and calls for more compassion, courage, and curiosity in healthcare.

We explore cutting-edge brain mapping innovations, including tools from the Human Connectome Project that could revolutionize mental health and neurosurgery. Charlie discusses the Omniscient technology, which quantifies brain function to better treat conditions like ADHD, PTSD, and depression—highlighting its success overseas and the lag in adoption here in Australia.

Beyond the tech, this episode dives into medical ethics, personal transformation, and the power of questioning authority. Charlie shares raw stories, from misjudging patient quality of life to being sidelined by Australia’s medical system—while advocating for integrative care, mother’s intuition, and truly listening to patients.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, parent, or advocate for medical freedom, this conversation will leave you informed, inspired, and empowered

Key Topics:

• Patient autonomy & the flaws in medical governance
• Brain mapping and surgical innovation
• Media, politics, and healthcare reform
• The fight for vaccine schedule transparency
• Mother’s intuition and trusting your gut
• Integrative medicine and humility in practice

Quotes It is important to treat patients well with respect and autonomy. 70% of complaints to APRA are Doctors complaining about other Doctors Change is only as good as its weakest link. We are paid to think and treat everyone individually. Never give up on someone if they haven’t given up. I’m sure right up until I’m dead there’s a chance. The concept of quality of life is different for everyone. The medical fraternity is very slow moving, conservative and risk averse. Covid taught us to question everything. I always felt I saw the best in people first. As one door closes another opens. Cream always rises to the top. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. At Cingulum the scanner scans the brain showing how it is working not just how it is looking. There was 47 eloquent areas of the brain. We have now discovered there are 389. I never had much respect for mental health conditions but I now realise it is a disease like any other disease. There are 100 billion neutrons in the brain, we only use 10% so there are a lot in reserve – that;s plasticity. My general statement is question everything. Find a Doctor who has an open mind, respect and doesn’t put you down

Where to find Dr Charlie Website: https://charlieteo.com.au/ Foundation Website: charlieteofoundation.org.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlieteofoundation

Cyndi O’Meara Links Website – https://thenutrition.academy/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cyndiomeara/ https://www.instagram.com/thenutrition_academy/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cyndi.lovetto https://www.facebook.com/thechnutritionacademy

Kim Morrison Links Website – https://www.kimmorrison.com/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kimmorrison28/ https://www.instagram.com/twenty.8.essential/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com