Let's Talk Surgery: The RCSEd Podcast (The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh)

Hosts Gregory Ekatah and Sesi Hotonu introduce the inaugural RCSEd Podcast, the topics they will be covering and special guests who will join the show.

Mr Simon Paterson-Brown joins the podcast as co-director of the MSc in Patient Safety & Clinical Human factors to discuss the aims of the course, its inception and applicability in everyday healthcare delivery.

Ahead of the Christmas holiday season, we bring you a mini-Christmas quiz with the College Office Bearers as well as a Christmas message to Fellow, members, affiliates, and our audience. At the end of a tough 2020, we hope to bring some Christmas cheer and light-hearted round table podcast episode.

Professor Robin Paton, consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, joins Greg and Sesi to share his reflections of training from the perspective of a trainer. Important messages and lots of good humour.

On this episode of the podcast, we meet Tim Graham, consultant cardiac surgeon and leads the Professional Standards Office at RCSED. He discusses his training journey, being a cardiac surgeon, his passions and candid reflections on leading through a crisis / difficult moments as well as gives us a flavour of the role of the professional standards office.

On this episode we welcome Mr David O'Regan, Chair of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers, and Mr David Riding, Chair of the RCSEd Trainee's Committee. We have radical conversations and passionate discussions on training, current issues in surgical training and how to maximise training opportunities in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

In the second in our four-part leadership series focusing on leading through the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, Greg and Sesi sit down with Dr David Rosser, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. As head of one of the largest hospital trusts in the UK, they discuss Dr Rosser's experiences of responding to the clinical challenges posed by pandemic, and the role of innovation in service provision and recovery of services.

“Inspiring… Bravery… Self-less… Fun” Some of the reflections from Mr Philip Hammond, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon who joins Sesi and Greg on this episode of the podcast. Phil discusses his humanitarian missions as well as a brief stint with the Royal Navy. This is full of interesting insights and useful advice.

Sesi is joined by Gillian Hardman from the RCSED Trainees committee in an all-female panel, in commemoration of International Women’s Day, to reflect on how the pandemic has impacted on Medical Students. They are joined by an inspiring group of students to have open, frank conversations on their experiences and hopes for the future. Important lessons on how to help future generations during this difficult period.

Following the recent publication of ‘Patient Safety: Improving Safety Out of Hours’ document, Greg and Sesi are joined by Beth Lineham, Orthopaedic Registrar and co-author of the report, to discuss some of the salient points identified in the survey. They discuss key issues highlighted and some examples of good practice noted in the survey.

As our focus on patient safety continues, Greg and Sesi welcome Professor Rhona Flin to the podcast to discuss her journey through psychology, human factors and translation of her work to the frontline of healthcare.

A four part series focusing on leadership, in particular leading through crisis within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Greg and Sesi are joined on the podcast by the Scottish Government National Clinical Director, Professor Jason Leitch to discuss his leadership journey and his reflections on the last 12 months.

Greg and Sesi are joined on the podcast by Dr. Jonathan Hanson, Consultant in Sports & Exercise Medicine, Team doctor for Glasgow Warriors Rugby team and member of the Scottish Government Medical Advisory Group on Sports Concussion. He talks about some of the short, medium and long effects of concussions, the work being done to tackle concussions and head injuries in sports and the general public. Giving the recent spotlight on this, one of his key messages is the need to be cautious and trat head injuries with respect as clinical questions continue over the long term implications.

Ken and Steve are joined by Hepatobiliary surgeon, scientist and culture change enthusiast, Carol-Anne Moulton from the University of Toronto to explore some of her research work and her personal experiences.

On this week's episode, we welcome Pala Rajesh, Vice President of RCSEd, with insights on the College's international strategy and exciting plans for the future.

Sesi and Paddy are joined by Ciaran McDonnell, Hannah Travers and Mimi Li, vascular surgeons across the grade spectrum for an interesting and insightful discussion around the workforce challenges that faces vascular surgery both now and in the future but also offer some solutions being considered and implemented by the Workforce Committee, Rouleaux club and the wider vascular community. Listen out for a light-hearted but well off the mark prediction of a famous rugby match from Ciaran!

On the next episode of the Let’s Talk Surgery Faculty of Surgical Trainers Series, we welcome Chris Caddy, retired Consultant Plastic Surgery who shares his reflections of training from the views of being a trainer.

On this week's episode, we summarise the latest activity within the College, and highlight exciting developments and upcoming events to get involved in.

Sesi, Greg and Paddy are joined by John and Andrew, vascular registrars, to discuss their innovative work and research projects around critical limb ischaemia and service redesign.

In the final episode of the patient safety series, Greg and Sesi welcome Kevin Turner, consultant urologist and chair of the surgical adverse events first aid response working group to discuss patient safety from the lens of resilience in surgeons and other clinicians. We discuss the concept of the secondary casualty following significant adverse events, how we can support clinicians through complications and some of the data coming out of ongoing research in this area. Very insightful and fun discussions.

On this episode, we welcome RCSEd President, Professor Michael Griffin, and Vice-president, Professor Rowan Parks, to discuss their personal and leadership journeys, inspirations and how COVID-19 has affected the College while looking forward to the recovery in the months to come.

On this week's episode of the RCSEd Let's Talk Surgery Podcast, we sit down with 2 leaders in the field of Paediatric Global Surgery, Professor Kokila Lakhoo and Naomi Wright. Join us for insightful discussions and practical tips on getting involved.

Ken & Steve along with guest host Rachel Falconer are joined by Professor Roger Kneebone, author of the book ‘Expert: Understanding the path to Mastery’.

Greg and Sesi are joined by Alastair Faulkner, orthopaedic surgery registrar and passionate artist. He discusses his motivations, inspirations and the interface between surgery and art. A true gent and star of the Sky Arts Portrait Artists of the Year show. 

Ken and Steve return to host the podcast. They are joined by Professor Lorraine Hope in a fascinating episode. Our memories, more than just recordings.

Ken and stand-in host, Gillian Hardman, return to host the podcast. They are joined by Professor Steve Yule who goes from host to the guest chair to talk about Surgical Sabermetrics and more. 

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees. 

This week, A coffee room chat in ENT: Endoscopic ear surgery is discussed by Wendy Smith and Gerard Kelly.

This week, Managing frontal sinus disease is discussed with Archana Jaiswal and Caroline Smith!

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees.

A coffee room chat in ENT: Day case parotidectomy is discussed by Shane Lester and Jai Manick.

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees.

This is a new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees.

In the fifth episode of the Coffee Room Chat in ENT, Options in conductive hearing loss is discussed with Neil Donnelly and Myrthe Hol.

This is a new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees.

A coffee room chat in ENT: Recurrent pleomorphic salivary adenoma is discussed with Sanjai Sood and Stuart Winter.

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees. 

Managing spontaneous CSF leaks is discussed with Shahz Ahmed and Omar Pathmanaban.

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees.

A coffee room chat in ENT: Management of Septal Perforations is discussed by Raj Bhalla and Nara Orban.

A new series of podcasts produced by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in collaboration with ENT UK. Each episode takes on the format of a coffee room chat between two experts in the field where the nuances of managing important and challenging topics in ENT are explored as well as surgical tips based on their experience and knowledge of the field. These podcasts contain the type of information that you cannot find easily in books and other publications and are aimed at consultants and senior trainees. 

On this episode, Greg returns with RCSEd Vice President and Chair of the Triennial planning group, Professor Rowan Parks to preview the Triennial / ICOSET meeting. They discuss elements of the planning and delivery of the conference, some key messages and profile some of the keynote speakers. 

On this episode, Greg returns with RCSEd President Professor Michael Griffin to preview the Triennial conference. 

A new series exploring the perioperative care practitioners in a conversation with the current Chair of the Faculty of Peri-operative Care. 

We are joined on the podcast by Mark Robertshaw, a Surgical First Assistant who talks us through his journey, exploring the role of SFAs within the perioperative care team. 

On this episode, Greg is joined by a trainer on the MSc in Surgical Care Practice as well as 2 of her students. They offer a unique insight into all elements of SCP through training and into practice. The opportunities, obstacles and the process in detail.

Greg in conversation with Jenny Abraham, an experienced SCP and nurse consultant.

Welcome back to the Let’s Talk Surgery Podcast session! In this episode we share news from the College and look ahead to the exciting episodes to come.

The final episode of the FPC series. An inspiring woman, Bhuvaneswari Krishnamoorthy walks us through her journey as an SCP in cardiothoracic surgery with an interest in education and research. Worth a listen!

GP and renowned writer, Gavin Francis, joins the podcast to discuss his book which reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic from the eyes of a GP. Well written memoire of the events and impact of the pandemic on doctors, patients and the wider community. 

Greg is joined on the podcast by ACPGBI president Charles Maxwell-Armstrong to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities facing surgeons and patients across the UK. 

The end of an era, Mike Griffin president of @ RCSEd for the last 4 years comes on the podcast for a farewell episode. We reflect on the last 4 years, successes, challenges, and what the future holds.

A new dawn... Professor Rowan Parks has become the new President of RCSED. He joins Greg on the podcast to share his reflections of the last 4 years and looks forward to his priority areas over the next 3 years. Inspiring and worth listening to..

Recent updates on College news and a look ahead to exciting material coming up on the podcast in 2023! 

…And so ends another year! To bring some Christmas cheer, the Office Bearers join Greg to take part in a fun-filled (and competitive) Christmas Quiz along with a more serious Christmas message. Merry Christmas!

To start the new year, Greg is joined by Majid Rashid, the 2022 RCSEd Leadership Fellow to discuss a range of topics from his journey through training, views on leadership, aspiration for the future and current work being done at RCSEd on patient safety. 

RCSEd President, Professor Rowan Parks and Chelliah Selvasekar join Greg on the podcast to introduce our new Robot Assisted Surgery (RAS) series. We discuss the work RCSEd is doing with industry partners to ensure safe RAS surgery as well as adequate training provision. Worth a listen!

Greg is joined on the podcast by Professor Alan McNeill to discuss his vast experience in robot assisted urological surgery with some very important advice / learning points and “nuggets”.

Greg is joined on the podcast by Mr Lawrence Okiror where they cover aspects of robot assisted surgery thoracic surgery. They review some of the evidence for improved outcomes, benefits of robotic surgery, and progress made in the specialty over the years. Some thoughts on trainee impact is also discussed. 

Greg is joined on the podcast by Professor Campbell Roxburgh, consultant colorectal surgeon and Chair of the Scottish National Clinical Reference Group on Robot Assisted Surgery. We discuss the novel strategic expansion approach adopted in collaboration with the Scottish Government to provide access to robotic platforms across Scotland. We also acknowledge the challenges (including impact on training) as well as some of the successes. 

Greg is joined on the podcast by Marielle Nobbenhuis, Consultant Gynae-Oncology Surgeon and President of the British & Irish Association of Robotic Surgeons. We cover aspects of robot-assisted surgery applications in benign and malignant gynaecology as well as future advances to look out for. 

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Sadie is joined by Tim Woolford to discuss nasal recons. 

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Simon Lloyd is joined by Paramita Baruah, an episode in partnership with BSO.

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Professor Claire Hopkins is joined by Mr. Jujay Ramakrishman to discuss refractory chronic rhinosinusitis. 

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Mr Frank Stafford and Mr Ricard Simo discuss management of pharyngeal pouches in conjunction with the Head and Neck Society. 

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Mr Natarajan Balaji and Mr Saleh Okhovat discuss the surgical management of nasal valve obstruction. In conjunction with BSFPS. 

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this episode, Mr Arun Iyer and Prof Owen Judd discuss the nitty gritty of lasers and angled endoscopes in difficult middle ear cholesteatomas. In conjunction with BSO.

ENT_UK and @RCSED partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this penultimate episode, Mr Sean Carrie and Mr Jonathan Joseph discuss local anaesthetic rhinological surgery, the indications and techniques – an episode in collaboration with BRS.

ENTUK and RCSEd partner to bring you a second series of coffee room chats. In this final episode, Miss Emma King and Mr Jemy Jose discuss the transoral oropharyngeal surgery. In association with HNSOC. 

Episode 100!! A Reflection of what’s gone before and what’s to come, with Gregory Ekatah

The robotic surgery series is back. On this episode, Gregory Ekatah hosts the CMO of CMR Surgical, Mark Slack and Doug Speake, consultant colorectal surgeon. They discuss all aspects of this thriving modular robotic system.

After the summer holidays, the LTS podcast and robotic surgery series are back. On this episode, Greg Ekatah is joined by Mr Nick Ventham to discuss robotic fellowships – how to plan them, what to expect, some of the challenges and opportunities, and some tips in finding success. He recently completed an Intuitive Surgery Fellowship at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Fascinating insights and sage advice from Nick, do get in touch with him at n.ventham@doctors.org.uk 

Gregory Ekatah is joined by Liza Mills to discuss the role of Surgical Care Practitioners in robotic surgery. They discuss how to get in, training pathway, and some of Liza’s experience working in one of the highest volume centres for robotic surgery in the UK.

Gregory Ekatah returns to the podcast covering recent updates from the college and looks ahead to upcoming episodes of the podcast. 

Gregory Ekatah is joined by an allstar cast of the NOTSS programme. Five of the central figures involved in the development of the NOTSS taxonomy, its implementation into practice and steering into the future. Professors Rhona Flin, Steve Yule, and George Youngson are joined by Mr Simon Paterson-Brown and Dr Nikki Maran to reflect on the last 20 years of NOTSS. First of a two-part mini-series.

Gregory Ekatah is joined by an allstar cast of the NOTSS programme. Five of the central figures involved in the development of the NOTSS taxonomy, its implementation into practice and steering into the future. Professors Rhona Flin, Steve Yule, and George Youngson are joined by Mr Simon Paterson-Brown and Dr Nikki Maran to reflect on the last 20 years of NOTSS. Second podcast of a two-part mini-series. 

Gregory Ekatah is joined by Mr. David Alderson, consultant ENT surgeon, as part of the new patient safety series. We discuss his journey through the patient safety space and his novel approach in using the arts when considering what happens when things go wrong for patients – through the lens of the surgeon. The first of an exciting series to come.

Tickets are still available for David Alderson's new play 'True Cut' taking place on Friday 14th June, asking the question of “What happens when things go wrong in healthcare?”: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/true-cut-tickets-856178612277

An exciting series brought to you by the Paediatric Surgery SSB aiming to fill in the gaps of the paediatric surgery curriculum not easily covered by daily practice. In this episode, guest host Sesi Hotonu explores paediatric orthopaedics with consultant orthopaedic surgeon, award winning trainer and FRCS examiner Professor Robin Paton.

In this episode, guest host Sesi Hotonu explores paediatric nephrology and renal transplantation with consultant paediatric nephrologist Dr Ben Reynolds. 

In this episode, guest host Sesi Hotonu explores paediatric anaesthesia and local anaesthetic blocks with consultant paediatric anaesthetist and regional anaesthesia lead at RHCYP Edinburgh Dr Su Ying Ong. 

Guest host Sesi Hotonu recaps the episodes so far of this exciting series brought to you by the Paediatric Surgery SSB and gives a preview of episodes to come. 

In this episode, guest host Sesi Hotonu explores statistics and research with newly appointed consultant academic paediatric surgeon and honorary clinical lecturer at both the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh, Mr John Hallett.  

Vice president Clare McNaught joins Gregory Ekatah back on the podcast to discuss the recent and ongoing Let’s Remove Sexual Misconduct campaign. Recent evidence highlights the scale of the problem. We discuss the RCSEd campaign to eradicate this and the resources available to help tackle it.

The patient safety series is back for its final few episodes. Recorded back in August 2023, Andrew Murphy-Pittock joins Gregory Ekatah on the podcast to discuss HSIB which has now become Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). We explore the role of HSIB / HSSIB, its creation, remit and future developments in the quest to improve patient safety nationally and through international collaborative efforts. Well worth a listen. For more information www.hssib.org.uk

This week, Gregory Ekatah is joined on the podcast by Maryanne Mariyaselvam to discuss her journey through the patient safety space. From leaving surgical training to being involved in a number of patient safety innovations to being awarded a British Empire Medal. 

In this episode, guest host Sesi Hotonu explores two aspects of paediatric gastroenterology with Dr Paul Henderson; gastrointestinal bleeding and inflammatory bowel disease. As a renowned researcher in inflammatory bowel disease and a champion of medical education, Dr Henderson talks eloquently about these two topics including the interface of medical and surgical management.

As we focus on wellbeing this week, David Alderson is back on the podcast to continue the conversation on when things go wrong in surgery. The human element, some of the psychological impact on the surgeons, as well as the reaction from non-surgical communities including the media… a thrilling 2-part conversation.

Tickets are still available for David Alderson's new play 'True Cut' taking place on Friday 14th June, asking the question of “What happens when things go wrong in healthcare?”: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/true-cut-tickets-856178612277

The second part of a conversation between Gregory Ekatah and David Alderson as they explore the psychological impact of 'when things go wrong' through the medium of the arts. Listeners can also review the poem Frozen from www.incisedlines.com, written by David, which helps encapsulate this discussion.

Tickets are still available for David Alderson's new play 'True Cut' taking place on Friday 14th June, asking the question of “What happens when things go wrong in healthcare?”: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/true-cut-tickets-856178612277

The final episode of this series reflecting on when things go wrong. Gregory Ekatah and David Alderson explore the psychological impact on clinicians. This is illustrated by the story of ‘Icarus and Hubris’ and a couple of poems from www.incisedlines.com. They also tackle the concept of resilience in modern day clinical practice.

Tickets are still available for David Alderson's new play 'True Cut' taking place on Friday 14th June, asking the question of “What happens when things go wrong in healthcare?”: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/true-cut-tickets-856178612277

In this episode,  Sesi Hotonu explores a very important topic for all clinicians involved in the care of children- child protection. She is joined by Dr Marianne Forrester, consultant paediatrician at the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital. As lead for child protection at RACH, and chair of the RCPCH Scottish child protection committee, Dr Forrester takes us expertly through the recognition and management of the child at risk. 

Gregory Ekatah is joined by Mr Manoj Kumar (Consultant upper GI surgeon) and Helen Vosper (Chartered Ergonomist) to discuss Team Based Quality Reviews (TBQR), an innovative tool / approach to systems thinking in reviewing clinical practice. When things go wrong, or indeed reviewing excellence in clinical practice, TBQR offers a framework to approach these reviews. First TBQR course is on the 20th of May 2024 at RCSEd. 

Some much needed financial tips brought to you in partnership with MedicsMoney. Dr Ed Cantello talks through some pertinent issues to be aware of – from tax codes to pensions and everything in between. A must not miss! 

In this episode, Sesi Hotonu explores antenatal counselling with two clinicians who form a vital part of the service in Edinburgh. Mr Paul Cullis is a consultant paediatric surgeon at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and Dr Vix Monnelly is a consultant neonatologist at the Simpsons Centre for Reproductive Health.  A great episode that highlights the importance of the multidisciplinary team in caring for children and families affected by paediatric surgical conditions. 

A new podcast series brought to you in collaboration with the Younger Fellows Group. We discuss mentoring in practice – what it involves, some of the benefits, and dispel some of the myths. This remains a crucial tool in practice today. Examples of mentoring interactions from some our guests. Details of the upcoming mentoring course can be found on the RCSEd website. 

After a few months hiatus, the LTS podcast is back. A introductory episode to set the scene for whats to come in 2025. 

To start off the year, Professor Parks joins Greg on the podcast to reflect on 2024 and set the scene for what is to come in 2025! 

Greg is joined by Kenny Hunter, award winning sculptor, who is responsible for the RCSED COVID Pandemic memorial sculpture - Your Next Breath. They are joined by Professor Mike Griffin, immediate past president of RCSED. 

Sophie Lewis (Paediatric Surgery Registrar and Paediatric Surgery National Online Training Fellow), is joined by Mr Robin Garrett-Cox-Paediatric Surgery Consultant at Bristol Children's Hospital, in the first podcast of a new Paediatric Surgery series, discussing foreign body ingestion.

 Sophie Lewis (Paediatric Surgery Registrar and Paediatric Surgery National Online Training Fellow), is joined by Mr Robin Garrett-Cox-Paediatric Surgery Consultant at Bristol Children's Hospital, in the first podcast of a new Paediatric Surgery series, discussing foreign body ingestion. Part 2 

The Faculty of Surgical Trainers continues to lead the way in advancing surgical training across the country and worldwide. In this episode, Professor Alex Phillips (Director) and James Tomlinson (Deputy Director) join Gregory Ekatah on the podcast to shed light on the FST, some of its workstreams and how members and fellows can get involved. 

Sophie Lewis (Paediatric Surgery Registrar and Paediatric Surgery NOTF), is joined by Ms Kathryn Ford, Paediatric Surgery Consultant at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, to discuss the common presentation of constipation.

This month Sophie Lewis (Paediatric Surgery registrar and Paediatric Surgery NOTF) is joined by Mr Ewan Brownlee (Paediatric Urology Consultant Surgeon University Southampton General Hospital and Paediatric Surgery NOTPD) and Ms Marie-Klaire Farrugia (Paediatric Urology Consultant at the Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust/ West London Children's Hospital Alliance) to discuss the challenges in the management of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR), including which patients to investigate, and how to select patients who may need surgical intervention, and why... Say bye to UTI!

RCSEd is pleased to partner with ‘Ken & Steve’ to bring the Performance Project Podcast series. Ken Walker and Professor Steve Yule will be hosting a series of podcast episodes talking to guests from a range of professions between health, psychology, space and others to discuss some of the challenges professional face and how these can be overcome to maximise performance. Worth a tuning in for! Greg and Sesi are joined by Ken and Steve to discuss the upcoming series and what to expect. 

Ken and Steve are joined by Dr Michael Moneypenny, a consultant anaesthetist who talks passionately and with great insight on the use of debrief in simulation and in real life. The hows, whens and pitfalls. 

We begin our new series focusing on careers and career aspirations with co-host, Sadie Khwaja’s own specialty, Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery. Our guests are Consultant Otolaryngologist Emma Stapleton, ENT Registrar Todd Kanzara and medical student Eman Hasan.  

Emma Stapleton is a Consultant Otolaryngologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary where she is also Clinical Lead for the Manchester Cochlear Implant Programme and academic and educational supervisor for Foundation and ENT Trainees.  Among her many other roles within surgery and ENT, she is Regional Surgical Adviser for RCSEd, Honorary Secretary of the North of England Otolaryngology Society and Vice President of WENTS . She is is married with two sons.  

Emma tells us what led her to choose ENT as a specialty and the importance of selecting a specialty which fits with your lifestyle. She highlights the pleasure of transitioning through one’s career to becoming a consultant - embracing challenges and having the freedom to pursue further interests within your specialty. Emma also shares her positive view on being a woman, a mother and a surgeon, pointing out the flexibility within the infrastructure of work and training in the NHS.  

Todd Kanzara is a final year Otolaryngology Specialty Trainee with a special interest in laryngology, thyroid and parathyroid  surgery. He has recently been appointed as a Consultant ENT surgeon at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Todd tells us how he switched from a career in law to medicine, after realising he wanted a profession with a real sense of purpose where he could help others. As a fifth-year medical student he had committed to becoming a urologist, but a chance meeting with an ENT surgeon while volunteering in a soup kitchen led him to consider ENT.

Our medical student this episode is Eman Hasan, in the fifth year of her medicine degree at the University of Liverpool. She became interested in ENT following a week’s work experience, after which she became actively involved in ENT trainee events and completed an eight-week placement with the ENT Department at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. She is attracted to the specialty by how friendly and welcoming those working in ENT are. 

Our consultant and registrar discuss the key steps towards a career in ENT, emphasising that gaining recognition by being brave and putting yourself out there as a medical student will almost certainly benefit your future career. We look at what makes a good ENT surgeon, including communication skills with patients and the broad nature of the specialty, meaning you can find your own niche. We talk about life outside of ENT surgery and how our guests find ways of linking their profession to the issues that matter to them. Lastly we look to the future and embracing technology to enable collaborative working.  

The take home message from this episode’s medical student is the importance of reinforcing equality and diversity in your future career, and speaking up when you can.

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. 

Welcome to another special Careers episode of the Let's talk surgery podcast for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Today, we're speaking to some cardiothoracic surgeons: Edward Caruana (cardiothoracic trainee), Gill Hardman (cardiothoracic ST7), and Sridhar Rathinam (consultant thoracic surgeon).

Sridhar Rathinam is a consultant thoracic surgeon and senior lecturer in the University Hospitals of Leicester. He is the education secretary for Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery for Great Britain and Ireland (SCTS) and chair of the Cardiothoracic Surgical specialty Board, for the RCSEd. He has a special interest in emphysema and volume production and sarcoma and is passionate about training and education. He was inspired to become a doctor as a child by his uncle, who was also a surgeon. He is passionate about performing surgery and working closely with patients through their often difficult journeys. 

Gill Hardman is a cardiac registrar based in Health Education England Northwest, and is currently taking three years out of programme working on her PhD in cardiothoracic transplantation. Her main interests are medical education, training, human factors, non-technical skills and psychology, especially how surgeons think and behave. Gill is a member of the RCSEd Trainees Committee and recently joined the Women in Surgery subcommittee of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland. Like Sridhar, Gill has wanted to be a surgeon since she was a child. For Gill, the beauty of cardiac surgery is in the repeated achievement of this highly skilled, complex surgery. 

Edward Caruana is a trainee from the Southeast Midlands nearing completion of training in thoracic surgery. He is a keen advocate for maximising training opportunities across the spectrum of practice, and has served as a member of the Regional Training Committee for Cardiothoracic Surgery at Health Education East Midlands, and on the Cardiothoracic Surgical Specialty Board at the RCSEd. Unlike our other guests he got into cardiothoracic surgery “by accident and through a little bit of luck”, following a chance meeting with an inspirational cardiac surgeon at a conference in Croatia. 

In this frank discussion the panel openly discuss some of the challenges of cardiothoracics, including the historic lack of diversity, its sometimes difficult relationship with other specialties, the high-powered perception of cardiothoracic surgeons and the difficulties of balancing home and work commitments. However, all of our guests share a passion for their specialty, their teams and their patients, describing their work as an integral part of their life. It’s very apparent that theirs is a vocation and their determination and dedication is inspirational.

The advice from our panel to those who wish to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery is to start preparing early, focus on any opportunities for exposure to the specialty and reach out directly to colleagues in cardiothoracic surgery.

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. 

Welcome to another episode of our Surgical Crossroads series with hosts Gregory Ekatah and Sadie Khwaja. Today we explore a career in plastic surgery.

Jeremy Rodriguez is a consultant plastic surgeon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire and an Associate Professor at Warwick Clinical Trials Unit. He describes how he “stumbled across” plastics as a specialty and is fascinated by the diversity and complexity of procedures. During his training he travelled and worked extensively, which enriched and challenged his clinical practice. His role is split between clinical work and his research on psychometrics: improving and using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). He reflects on the potential for conflict between these two roles and stresses the importance of having a system in place in order to deliver on research commitments. 

Sarah Chadwick is a plastics specialty trainee in the North West deanery. She trained at Sheffield University School of Medicine and qualified in 2004. She originally wanted to be a paediatric surgeon, but preferred the variety of plastics and having the option to treat patients from ‘cradle to grave’. Sarah took a slightly longer training pathway after taking time out to have children and undertake a PhD, however she has found plastics as a specialty to be flexible and supportive of less than full time training. Sarah is hoping to complete her training towards the end of 2022 and is currently applying for fellowships. She is interested in pursuing a career in microsurgery, particularly breast and lower limb reconstruction. 

Our medical student is Sakiinah Mungroo, a recent graduate from the University of Manchester. She is originally from Mauritius and came to the UK to study Medicine on a full scholarship. Her passion for plastic surgery stemmed from her own personal experiences; in 2013, she had severe burn injuries that required grafting. This inspired her to undertake a career in that specialty, with a particular interest in burns care, to make a difference in the lives of burns patients. Sakina is an active junior member of BAPRAS and attends the conferences every year. She has also presented at national and international conferences and founded the Plastic Surgery Society at the University of Manchester.  She will be starting her foundation year training at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. 

Plastics is a particularly competitive specialty so taking a similar approach to Sakina is recommended to boost your CV. You can find a wealth of trainee resources by joining the Plastic Surgery Trainees Association (PLASTA), https://www.plasta.org

Our guests all display the typical characteristics of successful plastic surgeons – tenacity, resilience, motivation and enthusiasm. They also highlight the diverse thinking that is key in a field that often has new bespoke problems and patients that need bespoke solutions.

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.