ACS
NEWCASTLE 75 REUNION
THE CLASS OF 75 ~ 1975 - 2015
SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2015 - BE THERE!
Mike Gross
I thought I was the only idiot still working, but I am relieved to find a few of us still in clinical practice. I find it hard to realize
that 40 years has gone by, all work that I have done is now in the mists of time. I am still working as a Professor and
Orthopaedic Consultant, in Halifax, Canada, slowing down the oncology practice, doing mostly joint arthroplasty. I have
travelled the world teaching surgery, from China to Brazil, Spain to Korea and I have marveled at the different societal norms
and how quickly things change. I labour in a system of dysfunctional normality, where Academic freedom is subservient to
political correctness, administrative jargon and political idiocy, sounds a lot like the NHS model.

I have run the tissue bank here for nearly 30 years and it is still leading in Canada, although the USA has all the money for
development.

I married late, and Patricia still puts up with some Yorkshire thick headedness. I have one son who is now at school in the
USA, costing me a fortune, but he thrives in a high functioning prep school.

I used to fly, own my own planes, go diving in Papua New Guinea and Queen Charlotte islands, but professional life and
marriage put some limits on that.

Now I am exploring the business world, as I want to change jobs but not retire, no pensions over here and the stock market
is a gamble. I am CEO of Biosign, a turnaround job focusing the company on wonderful software that connects the elderly in
their own homes to all their needs, medical etc. It is leading edge and German, where we are rolling it out based out of
Darmstadt. I also chair and sit on a few boards, having done a Directors course and have the ICD diploma.

I garden and grow vegies, fruit etc, so that my farming origins are honoured. My parents are still amazingly alive in Australia
so I travel annually there, the family often came until school became rigid about holidays etc.

I can say that my education at Newcastle was the best, and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at this stage in life.
Best wishes to all.