Let's Talk Surgery: The RCSEd Podcast

Let's Talk Surgery Podcast, Surgical Crossroads: Choosing your specialty - the Orthopaedics episode

September 20, 2021 RCSEd Season 8 Episode 7
Let's Talk Surgery: The RCSEd Podcast
Let's Talk Surgery Podcast, Surgical Crossroads: Choosing your specialty - the Orthopaedics episode
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Today we are joined by two orthopaedic surgeons and one budding orthopaedic surgeon to help us explore this unique specialty.

Mr Sanjay Anand is a knee surgeon with a clinical practice centred around knee and sports injuries. As has been the case with many of our guests, Sanjay was inspired to pursue a career in orthopaedics by a senior colleague early in his career. He undertook specialist training on the NW rotation, completed the BASK knee fellowship in Knee and Sports Surgery, and achieved a MSc with distinction in Orthopaedic Engineering. In addition to his clinical role, Sanjay holds an honorary senior lecturer position at both the University of Manchester and the University of Salford where he pursues a combination of basic science and mechanical research. He is also part of a group in Manchester (Orthteam) who look after amateur and professional athletes from a wide variety of sports.  

Sanjay has always enjoyed teaching and training and regularly participates in national and international courses. In his day-to-day routine, he particularly enjoys the learning opportunity presented by his morning meetings with the on-call team, including trainees and junior doctors of all levels. He sees it as a chance to test their knowledge, as well as a great way of getting to know your team and your patients.

Mr Haroon Rehman is the Trainee Committee Representative on the RCSEd Council and a specialty registrar (ST8) in trauma and orthopaedic surgery based at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he sits on the department’s clinical governance and training committees. Haroon has a special interest in patient safety, teaching and training, and is a trainee lead for NHS Grampian. He has a subspecialist interest in lower limb trauma and arthroplasty, and recently started a fellowship at Wrightington Hospital. He was attracted to a career in orthopaedics by the ability to really make a difference in patients’ lives and see your patients getting better, and he takes a great deal of job satisfaction from this.

Representing medical students and junior doctors this episode is Dr Dillon Vyas, an FY1 doctor working in Paediatric Medicine at Sheffield Children's Hospital. After initially pursuing a career in neurosurgery he became interested in orthopaedics.  Dillon is committed to medical education and founded a charity with colleagues to run a revision course in neuroanatomy, the profits from which are donated to Sheffield Children's Hospital. He won a national award for his work in this area. 

Our guests share their passion for orthopaedics, from the varied spectrum of treatment options to the fundamental role of teamwork. The panel’s advice for trainees is to maintain your enthusiasm and demonstrate your commitment by going for the less obvious opportunities for professional development and clinical experience. Our medical student this episode leaves us with this heartening message, “do what you're interested in, do what you find interesting, exciting, and you'll end up in the right specialty at the end of it”.

Contact Information
Visit https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/ for further information and details on becoming a member.

Email: comms@rcsed.ac.uk for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the RCSEd. Follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram. Hosted by Greg Ekatah, Sesi Hotonu and Sadie Khwaja produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd

Introducing the topic and guests for this episode.
[Sadie Khwaja – Sanjay Anand] Sanjay, so let's talk about orthopaedic careers. And how have you got to where you are today – being an orthopaedic consultant in a busy DJH?
[SK – SA] When you say you always wanted to do knee surgery, did you decide that early on? What's the pathway for orthopods these days?
[SK – SA] What's life like at the moment, day-to-day for yourself?
[SK – SA] And as a consultant, you'll have a certain percentage of your work that is clinical. What other things that you do? Do you do management, research or training and teaching?
[SK – SA] Looking back now, for somebody starting out like Dylan, what kind of advice would you give him?
[SK – SA] And you know, is it as simple as DIY? [Why orthopaedics?]
[SK – SA] What do you think is changing?
[Greg Ekatah – SA] So you're clearly a knee surgeon, but if there was a fractured hip or fractured elbow, during your on-calls, you will deal with that. Is that correct?
[GE – Haroon Rehman] I guess my first question to you is of all the surgical specialties, why orthopaedics?
15:51 [GE – HR] Sanjay touched on it earlier, the work-life balance, so we've heard it from the consultants point of view, but from a registrar's point of view, what is that like?
[GE – HR] At the time of this recording COVID is still with us. And so we've got to talk about what has it been like with electively and emergency operating in orthopaedics.
[GE – HR] You'll have a bit more insight into the different routes that one can take. So for Dylan starting off as an FY1, what are his potential routes into orthopaedic training?
[GE – HR] Is academia in orthopaedic training becoming more and more essential? ... And orthopaedics is one of those specialties where there is a very strong link between the specialty and industry; how does that play out for a registrar?
[Sesi Hotonu – Dillon Vyas] I've got two questions for you; why surgery? And the second question, with everything you've heard, what does it make you think about a career in orthopaedics? Does it make you excited? Do you have any particular questions?
[SK – SA] I just wanted to cover the subject matter of flexible training in orthopaedics and females in there. When I look, there seems to be a better and better representation. What's your understanding Sanjay, and advice?
[SH – SA] So, to finish, what is the collective term for a group of orthopods?
[SH - HR] What's your favourite operation in the whole world?
[SH – DV] Dylan, the best thing about orthopaedics is …