AFFILIATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Education Details
Plastic Surgery Higher Specialist training, St James Hospital 2023; Core Surgical Training, St James Hospital 2021-2022; Academic Track Internship, Beaumont Hospital 2020; Mature Entry Medicine, RCSI 2020; Post-Doctoral Research, Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC 2015; HRB scholar PhD in translational medicine, RCSI 2013; BSc Biochemistry UCD 2009
What is your motivation for pursuing a career in surgery?
I knew from early in my medical training that I wanted to pursue a career in surgery. I am the first doctor in my family so I didn’t have many outside influences. I was free to choose whatever speciality I wanted My PhD training had involved a neurosurgical mouse model and I was trained to perform the surgeries by a neurosurgeon That was my first taste of operating At its simplest level I enjoyed the practical nature, working with my hands and seeing the immediate post-surgical results. As I progressed through medical school and core training I found the goal orientated nature of surgical training suited me. I enjoyed being able to track my progress and new skills gained in the operating room Seeking out and meeting so many like-minded individuals amongst my surgical peers cemented my decision at each stage of my training. A few key milestones during my education and training helped guide the speciality I would apply for HST. During medical school, RCSI facilitated surgical electives and sub-internships in both Washington University and Johns Hopkins. In my third year I spent a month in WashU Neurosurgery department conducting research and shadowing the team. The following year, I was selected to complete my sub-internship in Plastic Surgery in Johns Hopkins. Both these training experiences highlighted my passion for surgery and my drive to pursue a career in plastic surgery
I was very fortunate to achieve a place on the RCSI stream Academic Internship in Beaumont during my intern year. This allowed me to complete three surgical rotations within the year and a dedicated research project in Breast Cancer with Prof Arnie Hill and Prof Leonie Young During this project I was awarded SPARK funding for a breast cancer booklet which was disseminated in the new Breast Cancer Centre The ability to combine research with surgical training under the guidance of experts in their field has been a catalyst during my later years.
You sat your MRCS exams with RCSI. Why RCSI?
RCSI is a centre of excellence for medical and research training. They supported and encouraged me in my transition from research to medical training As a previous student of RCSI for both my PhD and medical degree, I was aware of the wealth of support available to students. The library and the online resources available to students and members of RCSI is unparalleled. As a student, access to the anatomy lab was my first introduction to fully immersive medical training This is where I first learned the skills of dissection and careful anatomical examination As I progressed through my training, the dedicated on-site training days for surgical trainees using the simulation labs created the perfect environment for safe training in both practical and communication skills.
Having progressed my training with RCSI, I felt wellequipped to sit my MRCS exams. I attended the intensive two day preparation course which was invaluable to my exam preparation. All the advice and guidance from consultant trainers made the process of preparing for such an important milestone exam enjoyable and engaging. After passing the MRCS exams first round, the conferring evening that was held in RCSI was a lovely chance to celebrate all that hard work with friends, family and colleagues. Other perks such as access to The Surgeon magazine and alumni newsletters reminds me of the all the exciting and ground breaking work being done here in Ireland and abroad in our field.
What has been the best piece of advice you have received since you started becoming interested in pursuing a career in surgery?
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. For anyone wishing to pursue a career in surgery, I think the most important thing is to start preparing early. I knew I was interested in pursuing a surgical career early in my medical school education. Given that the speciality is so competitive, I started in second year with surgical observerships over the summer months and focusing on research projects. Both CST and HST interviews are heavily structured and starting your preparation early will stand to you This eagerness to immerse yourself in the field also introduces you to a lot of people who will ultimately becomes valued colleagues. I spent most summers shadowing surgical teams, getting my first suturing experience and spending valuable hours in theatre These formed some of the best memories I have from medical school. It’s a competitive field but the people are unparalleled and there is support available for any interested students.
Are there any specific training supports that would be beneficial in supporting you as you pursue a career in surgery, or those who are about to embark on their own journey?
RCSI’s focus on innovation and research advances was one of the main factors in choosing RCSI as a medical school. RCSI is dedicated to making learning interactive and the wealth of resources can be adapted to all learning style. I often struggled as a student with purely didactic learning but I found the mixture of small group tutorials, simulations, anatomy and osce-style teaching ensured I could learn and thrive in my studying and training.
I think ongoing advances in simulated training days as well as further access to dedicated mandatory training courses is key for progressing surgical training. A lot of the surgical courses which are required during both core training and higher training can only be accessed abroad, in UK or Europe. I think Irish institutions need to focus on providing these courses to trainees at home – ATLS is a prime example of an oversubscribed course which is mandatory for surgical trainees but is a constant source of pressure to obtain.
Beating Burnout: The prevalence of burnout amongst surgeons is high, higher than one would like. Can I ask, how do you feel you beat burnout, or do you?
Surgical training is both physically and mentally demanding It is easy to over-extend ourselves with team commitments, training commitments and social commitments I focus on keeping a solid routine whenever I can. Regular exercise and prioritising sleep during busy periods help mitigate the inevitable exhaustion during busy periods. I am also fortunate to have a solid and loyal bunch of friends from medical school. I started my intern year in 2020 during COVID and experienced an often harrowing year of training. Luckily my colleagues and friends from medicine ensured there was as many good times as bad. Their support during our training journey has been invaluable. A burden shared is a burden halved. Finding balance is also important Knowing when you have to be focused and taking your foot off the pedal during quieter times is key for balance.
Mentors and Inspirations: Who has been your biggest inspiration in your surgical career so far? Or in your personal life?
The joy of surgery is the people and teams you meet I was lucky in medical school to meet other powerful women who were also passionate about a career in surgery. In medical school, my good friends Suzanne Murphy and Laura Staunton set up the RCSI chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons Through working within this Association I met and worked with other female medical students and trainees wishing to pursue challenging and exciting careers in all fields of surgery
Through my own research projects and electives I met consultant mentors at all stages of my training that have helped to support and guide my journey through training In particular, the generosity of female consultant mentors has been of key importance to renewing my enthusiasm for surgery when faced with personal choices. Not to mention the advice and wisdom of other senior NCHD colleagues has been so important –colleagues in medicine and surgery have been so generous with their time and knowledge I try to pass this forward now that I have experience in the field.
Out of Hours: Do you have any hobbies, passions or passion projects?
Medical school was busy but the life of a student always creates some time for hobbies and projects. Initially it was difficult to find balance during the transition back to full time employment This was made more complicated with starting internship during COVID-19. It can be difficult initially to find a balance, but as you progress and find your feet in the hospital, the need for balance and outlets to mitigate burn out becomes evident. Sport has always been my most important outlet.
I was a competitive swimmer through all my schooling and then I transitioned to running as my day-to-day training. I was an avid tag rugby player until a nasty finger sprain threatened my ability to work and train. Now I routinely take part in park-runs on Saturday morning I just completed the Dublin race series and have previously completed the Dublin marathon multiple times I find running to be as challenging mentally as it can be physically. The mental resilience that running long distance requires is akin to the mental resilience required to progress and thrive in a surgical career. I also love a good winter sea swim in Sea Point – that’s a whole other level of resilience.
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