It's an unpalatable truth that war has given us some significant advances in medicine, when battlefield doctors and surgeons have had to work with incredible constraints under enormous pressure to treat a seemingly never ending queue of patients in need of emergency care.
Which is why it’s commonly acknowledged that a surgeon with battlefield experience is someone who has more than earned their medical stripes.
You won't hear any of these claims coming from Dr Susan Neuhaus, but as one of Australia's battlefield surgeons who has performed tours of duty in hot spots such as Cambodia, Bouganville and Afghanistan, she has seen her share of sights that cannot be recalled in just any mix.