Who am I? @dr_mattmorgan
Matt Morgan is a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Honorary Professor at Cardiff University and Curtin University in Australia and regular BMJ columnist. He has contributed to \>50 scientific articles following his PhD in artificial intelligence.
He has spoken at some of the largest book festivals in the world, written articles for diverse publications from The Guardian to Esquire magazine, featured on radio programmes including The Today Program as well as appearing on many television programs from CNN to The BBC. He gave the 2023 Woodridge Lecture, has spoken at The Wellcome Trust and was nominated for the Royal Society’s David Attenborough prize for public engagement. He was listed in the top fifty most influential health tech people in 2024.
His first book CRITICAL tells remarkable stories of patients in the intensive care unit. His second book, ONE MEDICINE, explores how understanding animals can help treat human disease. His third book A SECOND ACT, will tell the stories of patients after surviving a cardiac arrest and what these can teach us about our own lives.
His is a member of the BMJ Commission on the Future of the NHS, ambassador for 2Wish charity, patron for The Humanitarian Trust and medical advisor for The National Theatre’ in London’s production of "Nye", the story of Aneurin Bevan starring Michel Sheen. He lives in Cardiff with his family and loves ice cream.
CRITICAL - Simon & Schuster, 2019
‘A very special book filled with stories of survival, hope and loss.'
Adam Kay, author of the best-selling book This is Going to Hurt
'[Morgan's] wit and compassion are everywhere evident in this enlightening book, and he makes a welcome contribution to our understanding of these extraordinary times.'
Sunday TimesThrough the remarkable stories of his patients, Dr. Matt Morgan guides you through the body and its organs. He explains how various critical conditions arise, and all that goes into treating them – from the science, research and technology, to the tireless efforts of the doctors and nurses. This book gives you powerful insights about intensive care, many of which may prevent you, or those close to you, from ending up there. It will even teach you how to save a life.
ONE MEDICINE - Simon & Schuster, 2023
"Funny, fascinating and beautifully written."
Alexander van Tulleken, doctor and TV presenter"290 pages of inspiration"
The Times"a fun & fascinating dive into the physiology of the animal kingdom and what it means for the medicine we practice."
Kevin Fong, doctor, author and TV presenter
It all started with a Hob Nob. As Dr Matt Morgan, an intensive care consultant, examined a patient who had suffered a cardiac arrest after inhaling some biscuit crumbs, he saw a flock of birds fly past the window. They must inhale objects all the time when flying, how do they survive? he thought to himself. This began an investigation that spanned continents, species and millennia.
For animal science has so much to teach us about human medicine. While some of the overlaps and parallels are obvious – we know how much DNA we share with primates, the first pig heart has been transplanted into a human – there is so much more that we have learnt from the animal world. For example, studying kangaroos, in particular the female’s three vaginas, has improved in-vitro fertilisation success rates. Watching how a giraffe breathes can help save the life of someone struggling with asthma. Investigating why birds that live in the frozen Arctic circle don’t freeze to death led to advances with treating hypothermia. Getting a ECG on the 150kg heart of a humpback whale was instrumental to keeping patients with cardiac failure living longer.
We owe animals so much, it’s time to focus on examining how they live and what we still have to learn from them. Better shared understanding of how our species coexists with millions of others can lead to untold medical advances, help both humans and animals and improve the world for all creatures from single-celled bacteria to a 30,000 kg whale. Who knows, maybe a kiss from a frog will save your life?Selected Works
A letter from ICU
2020
My open letter addressed to patients during the COVID pandemic has been read by over half a million people worldwide and viewed over three million times after featuring on Channel 4.
A reunion
2020
I was so happy to meet again with Davide, a young dad who I first met when he was dying on the ICU.
Nye
2024
I'm delighted to work with my friend Tim Price as the medical advisor for The National Theatre' in London's production of "Nye", the story of Aneurin Bevan, staring Michael Sheen due to start in March 2024.
BBC Radio 4 Best Medicine
2024
Available NOW wherever you get podcasts Best Medicine!
I guarantee it’ll make you feel better.
Zoe Lyons gets sweaty in nature
Dr Matt Morgan acts on Animals
Dr Fotios Sampaziotis talks Transplants
James Wong hawks Horticulture
A SECOND ACT
Simon & Schuster, 2025
My third book, A SECOND ACT - What Nearly Dying Teaches Us About Really Living, tells the stories of ten patients I have cared for as an intensive care doctor who survived cardiac arrest.
Each near-death experience was brought on by different circumstances, from drowning to freezing, heart attacks to severe allergies, avalanches to cancer. Their stories reveal how life can be reignited.
Through these profound recoveries, we uncover powerful lessons for our own lives, from reconnecting with lost friends to rediscovering the beauty of nature and making the most of our limited time on Earth.
“We have two lives. The second begins when you realise you have one."
Some proceeds of the book will go to support the brevement charity 2Wish
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