Dr. Grace Walpole – Medicine’s Hardest Conversations

In this episode of the M&M Podcast, we’re joined by Dr Grace Walpole, a palliative care specialist at Eastern Health and senior lecturer at Monash and Deakin University.We chat about her journey through medical school and specialist training, what drew her to palliative care, and how communication became such a central part of her work. Dr Walpole also shares what palliative care actually involves day-to-day, breaking down common misconceptions and explaining the role it plays far beyond end-of-life care.We explore how doctors navigate difficult conversations around prognosis, hope, and decision-making, as well as the challenges and rewards of working closely with patients and families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.Whether you’re a medical student, healthcare worker, or simply curious about the human side of medicine, this episode offers an honest and thoughtful insight into one of medicine’s most misunderstood specialties.