Back

Explore every episode of the podcast It's Always Sunny in Surgery

Dive into the complete episode list for It's Always Sunny in Surgery. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1โ€“49 of 49

TitlePub. DateDuration
Surgical Specialty Smackdown World Title Fight15 Sep 202400:45:28

This is it folks! This is what we have been building to for the last 6 months! All the uppercuts, all the low blows, all of the urine extracted from orthopaedics ๐Ÿฆด and all the shade thrown at neurosurgery ๐Ÿง  all culminate in thisโ€ฆ


We are rejoined by listeners ๐ŸŽง , contributors ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ and now pundits ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Michael Ahn (Health Education West Midlands) and Dan Lazenby (Health Education North West) as we comment on the whole of last season, and what a season itโ€™s been!


We discuss:

  • Capitalism at its worst ๐Ÿ’ธ
  • We wonโ€™t get cancelled will we?! ๐Ÿšซ
  • Low key fans in high places ๐Ÿง (proof down below)
  • Acolytes of the knife joining in๐Ÿคฐ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ
  • The best, best thing about surgery ๐Ÿ”ช
  • Core memories ๐Ÿ’ฉ
  • Pinky / ye olde index haemostasis ๐Ÿค™
  • The best, worst thing about surgery ๐Ÿฅ‚
  • Disappointing Asian parents ๐Ÿซ 
  • Everyone gets a bit of loveโ€ฆexcept orthopaedicsโ€ฆbecause we donโ€™t wanna admit that we need themโ€ฆ ๐Ÿ˜…
  • The phantoms and apparitions that are cardiothoracics and neurosurgery๐Ÿซ€
  • The winner ๐Ÿ… and loser of this season (with a little help from ChatGPT) ๐Ÿค–


But remember folksโ€ฆthe real winners are the friends we made along the way! ๐Ÿค



-Go forth my son and cast thy pod! (the deaneryโ€™s unofficial endorsement of our activities).

https://imgur.com/a/5yWG5FD

-You just can't compete with him.... so don't: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Kim

-We're family here https://www.ted.com/talks/gloria_chan_packer_work_is_not_your_family_jan_2022?subtitle=en


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Business is about to pick up here!"18 Aug 202400:57:52

This season, weโ€™ve been sat on the sidelines, taking in the action and providing commentary on the action like a Jim Ross, Jerry โ€˜the Kingโ€™ Lawler duo (and thus the origin of the title of this episode)โ€ฆ


Anyways, later than advertised (as we grapple with Black Wednesday, new hospitals, new firms, kids, m0ar inductions and the joys of mandatory training), we are rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck into the questions we set for the others and we talk about: the best and worst things about training, what we wish we knew before starting, who we admire, who weโ€™d cheat with and who we could lay the smack down onโ€ฆ


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vascular (The Profundataker)31 Mar 202400:36:45

This time it's personal: today its the turn of vascular, and Assad has roped in a formidable tag-team: Stacie Hodge (who is legitimately solid) and Mo Elkawafi (both Health Education North West) are in the vascular corner. Are vascular just angry psychopaths? Do they just direct all their wrath from blocked bypasses and failed operations at everyone else? What about those IVDUs? We chat about the good bits, the bad bits, and the bits that get thrown in the amputation bin. What do they wish they knew before starting? What are the biggest misconceptions, and finally, who could they take in a fight? Probably anyone if you take an arteriotomy knife to the right spot....


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plastics (Approximate the Edges)17 Mar 202400:37:57

Today we welcome plastics into the fray, and we're joined by Dan Lazenby and Henry de Berker (Health Education North West). We try and get to the bottom of what makes plastics plastics: are they biding their time to make a fortune in private practice? Are they low-key obsessive compulsive about the things that the rest of us don't care about? Is this an inherent or learned trait? We've heard they're a flamboyant bunch, but are the rumours true?! Do they in fact possess surgical superpowers? We delve into this and more, as we aim to scratch beneath the surface. As for who they could beat in a scrap, they maintain they're lovers not fighters, but their strategy is credible and they're not afraid of taking on multiple specialties!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urology (Mick Foley-Catheter) (Bonus)03 Mar 202400:23:09

Cock rings and banjo strings.... This episode has it all!

Probably our most NSFW episode to date, but what were you expecting from urologists?!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urology (Mick Foley-Catheter )03 Mar 202400:32:01

Happy first birthday to us! ๐Ÿฅณ And as a little birthday present to you all, we are releasing probably the funniest episode(s) we've done. This episode heralds the entrance of urology into the arena, and we're joined by some friends across the country! Today we have our guests formed entirely from listeners; Mahmoud Nosseir and Michael Ahn (Health Education West Midlands) are gonna talk to us about the highs and lows of urology, the best bits, the worst bits, and the dirty bits. Very quickly we descend into puerile penile jokes, and the humour goes straight into the toilet...

And, as urologists are all too aware of, the stories are the only thing flowing freely! We talk about the things they wish they'd known, which specialty they could cheat on their own with, and who they could take in a fight? To be honest, with these stories, they could take everyone; the rest of us would be collapsed in a heap, incapacitated with laughter...



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Orthopaedics (John Cena Femur Getting Nailed?)18 Feb 202400:33:21

Today is the day we welcome orthopaedics into the ring! And just like John Cena, they're hench, well-dressed and look good behind the camera. Plus, you can't see them (out of hours anyway!)

We're joined by orthopods extraordinaire (and returning guest) Rich Unsworth and Azhar Din (Health Education North West) who started out from the same humble beginnings but fought tooth and nail (pun intended) to get into specialty training, and make it through to the end.

We find out from them about the best and worst things in orthopaedics and if orthopods truly misunderstood? We also discuss the things they wish knew before starting, like the grind, the bottlenecking and the fellowships. Lastly we find out how they fancy their chances against everyone else in a hypothetical brawl...all that limb traction gotta come in handy some time right?!



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Surgery (GallStone Cold Steve Austin)04 Feb 202400:36:31

Loud, angry, trash-talking, on the warpath. Not to be messed with. Thatโ€™s how many have described Steve Austin (the namesake of this episode) but it also seemed quite fitting for general surgery.

โ€˜And thatโ€™s the bottom line, cuz Stone Cold said so!โ€™


Weโ€™re joined by Caitlin Jordan and Adeeb Rehman (Health Education North West- Mersey) as we talk about: the best bits of general surgery; the worst bits; the things they wish they knew before, and crucially for this Smackdownโ€ฆ.who they could take in a fightโ€ฆ



โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”


RCS England - General Surgery https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/careers-in-surgery/trainees/foundation-and-core-trainees/surgical-specialties/general-surgery/


BMJ - The complete guide to becoming a general surgeon

https://www.bmj.com/careers/article/the-complete-guide-to-becoming-a-general-surgeon-


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Specialty Series Smackdown21 Jan 202400:16:12

We're back, and this season we're bringing the smackdown!

We're drafting our friends, colleagues and listeners to tell us why they love the job they do, and why it's the best bit of surgery.

We're pitting all the different specialties against each other in a sort of Royal Rumble free-for-all to find out who reigns supreme.

Which surgical specialty is the most respected? What specialty do people secretly wish they did? Which specialty could take all the others in a fight?

And... like wrestling, it's scripted, it's theatrical, it's here mostly for entertainment. Also, just like John Cena, you can't see us.


Surgical hunger games: https://www.reddit.com/r/doctorsUK/s/dnjQE7VjwH

Plastics getting stabby: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9158927/Top-plastic-surgeon-56-charged-attempting-murder-ex-colleague-surgeon-65.html


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3-0 Monocryl24 Dec 202300:36:59

This episode brings this season to a close...just like its namesake. Get it?! Ok we'll see ourselves out.

22 episodes, 44 weeks, and over a year worth of recording to get our first season done. What a slog itโ€™s been! But an enjoyable one at that.

Today we explore:

  • What it's been like actually getting the podcast off the ground ๐Ÿ—๏ธ
  • Started from the bottom now we hereโ€ฆ๐Ÿ˜ (according to the stats anyway ๐Ÿ“ˆ)
  • The good and bad, our favourite moments, and how far it's comeโ€ฆ ๐ŸŽข
  • Our listenership round the world (thank you / merci / gracias / danke / grazie / ุดูƒุฑุง ) ๐ŸŒ
  • Your fortnightly dose of needless, tangential pop culture; from Alan Partridge, to Johnny Depp and the Fast Show and Krusty the Clown
  • The road aheadโ€ฆ๐Ÿ›ฃ๏ธ
  • The holidays! ๐ŸŽ„
  • And of course, ARCP seasonโ€ฆ.๐Ÿซ 


Thank you all to all of you who listen, whoโ€™ve participated and whoโ€™ve helped make Its Always Sunny in Surgery what it is. We hope youโ€™ve enjoyed listening as much as weโ€™ve enjoyed creating.

We love to hear from you, more than reviews, likes and subscribing (but you can do those things if you fancyโ€ฆ)

So please drop us a line on:


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)


Happy holidays, and see you in 2024!


Jamie & Assad


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Johnny Depp on Paul Whitehouse, and The Fast Show: https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/10/johnny-depp-paul-whitehouse-greatest-actor-12834920/

Alan Partridge being Alan Partridge: https://partridge.cloud/scene/?id=EXxDbCibsfpJ

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stitch Don't Kill My Vibe10 Dec 202300:42:42

๐ŸŽตโ€ฆStitch donโ€™t kill my vibe, stitch donโ€™t kill my vibeโ€ฆI'm trying to keep it alive and not compromise the feeling we loveโ€ฆ๐ŸŽต


Slightly later than normal due to a rough on-call patch, which incidentally was the reason we did this episode. If:

  • the hours are so brutalโ€ฆโณ
  • the training so longโ€ฆ๐Ÿ˜ช
  • the abuse so rifeโ€ฆ๐Ÿ˜–


Why are we still here? This season has taken the scenic route through some of the worst parts of training so today we are trying to claw it back. Thereโ€™s gotta be summat good right?

We talk about:

  • Surprising yourself with the progress youโ€™ve made ๐Ÿ˜
  • Good times with colleagues ๐Ÿ‘ฏโ€โ™‚๏ธ
  • Faking it till you make it ๐Ÿ˜…
  • Making it, and pulling off something mega ๐Ÿง


Maybe the real training is the friends we made along the wayโ€ฆ?


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stitch Don't Kill My Vibe (Bonus)10 Dec 202300:12:19

We veer WILDLY off topic, but have decided to reformat it for your listening pleasure. Everyone likes a freebie right?


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And Now a Word From Our Sponsorsโ€ฆ04 Aug 202400:18:09

Just like any major cable television event, here comes another break in the actionโ€ฆ


This season has been pretty challenging to get trainees from every specialty together. We received some messages from concerned listeners doing a welfare check when the last episode should have been released.


Fear not! Weโ€™ve not gone anywhere. We just didnโ€™t want to release additional filler episodes whilst we are scheduling and recording the last couple. These neurosurgeons and cardiac surgeons are an elusive bunchโ€ฆ ๐Ÿ‘€.


Anyways, because we have no other way to communicate with everyone, here we are, another filler episode just to let you know weโ€™re alive and well, and working on original content.


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Make Surgery Great Again26 Nov 202300:43:43

Following on from last week's episode about the good old days of training, it sounds like we have lost our way... So how do we find it again?

We posed the question to Reddit and asked how can we drain the proverbial swamp, channel our inner MAGA and actually Make Surgery Great Again...?


We took those responses, and chat about;

  • Gameshow etiquette and meta-referencing โŒ
  • Re-establishing the hierarchy and the firm ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ
  • Segueing from Segways to safari-esque ward rounds ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿฆ“๐Ÿฆ›
  • The ideal ward round ๐Ÿช‘๐Ÿ‘€
  • Very Victorian Vocational Training ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿ ๐Ÿ“
  • Restricting surgery to surgeons โ›”๏ธ
  • Rotational training ๐ŸŽ 


Our Reddit poll providing the basis for this episode: https://www.reddit.com/r/doctorsUK/s/Dx7WFKQARj


Itโ€™s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - The Gang Goes on Family Fight (Season 10 Episode 8): https://youtu.be/MJT_aQ5XzKg?si=wZo4EN5w9C_Gakje


Scrubs - Turkโ€™s peak ward round efficiency: https://youtu.be/JOZK1qD9usU?si=yfDbvrRqHH2LTbRA


The Cider House Rules trailer: https://youtu.be/xWpOP9NoaM8?si=SP9MfbtcFT6kJ9Nh


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back Int' Day12 Nov 202300:45:28

Surgical trainees nowadays 'have never had it easier' apparently: back in the good old days our bosses worked 27 hrs a day, 8 days a week, scribing the ward rounds in English, Latin, and Ancient Greek, detecting electrolyte abnormalities by taste alone, whilst being paid in turnips and self-satisfaction for the privilege of being a surgeon...

These days...things just seem...like we missed out...though we're not exactly sure what we missed out on...?

Today, to help us fill in the blanks and tell us what it was actually like, we're joined by Mr. Mark Welch: former North West TPD for General & Vascular Surgery; the trainer who helped Assad find his mojo and all-round legend for a generation of surgeons in Manchester.

We sit back and let him spin us a few yarns ๐Ÿงถ about what it was like 'back int' day', including:

  • What training was like and the portfolio-free life... ๐Ÿฅผ
  • Having your own lists and being happy-go-choppy ๐Ÿ”ช
  • The firm structure and the sense of belonging ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘งโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ
  • The mess life, fun and mischief ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿป
  • The changes, both good and bad ๐ŸŽญ
  • Is it better now, or have we missed out? ๐Ÿ™ƒ


We loved being regaled by tales from his heyday, but equally it was sobering to hear how far things have changed....and not necessarily in a good way.



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Y'alright Our Kid? 29 Oct 202300:46:15
Our kid

Pronunciation: /ษ‘ห.kษชd/

Noun: One's sibling or close friend

(Northern England, especially Manchester)

โ€™You alright our kid? You sure? You look dead miserable; is there summat on your mind?โ€™


This episode weโ€™re just going for it. Weโ€™re gonna talk about burnout ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ


Surgeons have the unique honour of being amongst the most burnt out specialities in medicine. Weโ€™re joined by Dr. Sobia Khan (Research Psychologist and Clinical Psychotherapist at the University of Manchester) as we get into it and talk about our own experiences of it. What is burnout? What does it look and feel like? Does it spread like an inferno or could be it be smouldering away in the background for some time?


What are the symptoms? How does it show itself and what is the relationship with depression? Is it dangerous for us and for our patients? And how can you tackle it?

Can we safely open up about it?


Taking charge of it ourselves seems like a really daunting first step, but you canโ€™t always rely on others to protect your welfare.


Weโ€™ll give it a go though. Yโ€™alright our kid? But seriouslyโ€ฆ are you?


โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”


If this strikes a chord with you, you might be burnt out: https://imgur.com/a/YR1EdrT

How it can feel being training: https://imgur.com/a/IRsFsgy

Kendrick Lamar - Count Me Out: https://youtu.be/5GhhVHpPR_M?si=0333YOqYQGxkpv--

(a powerful track and music video which contains many of the aspects we touch on in the episode)


RCS England Confidential Advice and Support Service: 0800 028 0199 (24hr line)

BMA Confidential Counselling Line: 0330 123 1245 (24hr line)


Burnout in trauma and orthopaedics: a cross-sectional study of surgeons from across the United Kingdom | The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England (rcseng.ac.uk)

Burnout Within UK Surgical Specialties: a systematic review https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1308/rcsann.2020.7058

Supporting the wellbeing of surgeons and surgical teams during COVID-19 and beyond โ€” Royal College of Surgeons (rcseng.ac.uk)


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life Before Knife (Pt. 3) - Keeping Up With the Khwajas15 Oct 202300:44:19

In the final part of our work-life trilogy, we ramp it up a notch.ย Today, we're joined by series veteran and Deputy Postgraduate Dean Nadeem Khwaja (Consultant Plastic Surgeon), and our overseer, boss and matriarch, and the reason this podcast exists Sadie Khwaja (Consultant ENT Surgeon) as Greater Manchester's premier surgical dynasty. We all know that surgery can be an all-consuming job and our chosen career frequently gets in the way of our lives.... but what if you're married to another surgeon? How does that even work?!

We talk about that and:

  • Meeting on the job ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โค๏ธโ€๐Ÿ‘จ and snatching surgeries away from your future spouse ๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿ”ช
  • Jointly juggling theatre cases, clinics, and careers ๐Ÿคนโ€โ™€๏ธ
  • Inter-deanery matrimony and the effect on fledgling marriages ๐Ÿ‘ฐโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคต
  • How it takes an MDT to raise a child
  • Do surgeon-surgeon couples understand each other better?
  • What happens when the job interferes with parenting?
  • Does it ever get easier?! ๐Ÿ˜…


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life Before Knife (Pt. 2) - (Bonus)01 Oct 202300:19:31

Time flies when you're having fun. And in the company of friends, we rattled through the episode pretty quickly, leaving us with an opportunity to chat shit; there's always time for that! We natter about

  • Stepping up to registrar level ๐Ÿ“ˆ
  • Some of the differences between DGHs and MTCs ๐Ÿฅ
  • Fried chicken spots ๐Ÿ—
  • What its really like being a TV doctor ๐Ÿ“บ
  • The reality of life in front of the camera ๐ŸŽฅ


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life Before Knife (Pt. 2) - Full Time Human 01 Oct 202300:46:48

If the previous episode wasn't impetus enough for you to go out and start living your life, today will be different! We are joined by two legends right here in the North West - Mobeen Qureshi and Tom Naylor: both committed higher surgical trainees ๐Ÿชš๐Ÿ› ๏ธ๐Ÿ”ช; both orthopods who love dem bones ๐Ÿฆด๐Ÿฆด๐Ÿฆด; but both have parked their training to one side to take their passions and hobbies to the next level and ended up on the small screen for it.


Mobeen took time Out Of Programme (alongside his wife Zainib, also a psychiatry trainee) to participate in season 3 of BBC's Race Across the World and spent 2 months legging it around Canada ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ , soaking up the unparalleled natural beauty ๐Ÿ•๏ธ and receiving the warmth and kindness of strangers.


Tom is a professional ice-skater โ›ธ๏ธ and has been featured on ITV's Dancing on Ice ๐Ÿ“บ . He delayed applying for ST3 to perform as a professional on the show for a season, and is married to his wife Yebin, a word-class figure skater.


Both of these guys talk to us about their exploits, seeing the world through a very different lens and getting some much needed perspective. They talk about how time away from training has helped them develop as people and also as more rounded surgeons. They talk about their trepidation in asking for time away, but the reality that they have been encouraged, well-supported, and welcomed back with open arms by their supervisors and TPD. Crucially, its helped them rekindle their love of surgery again.


Y'know what they say? Absence makes the heart grow fonderโ€ฆ

So maybe it's time to pump the brakes on training, get your out of office notifications on, and have yourselves an adventure! Go on, off you trot!



Zainab & Mobeen hitchhiking, relying on the kindness of strangers and making the most of Canada - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExkaOH96n-Q&t=9s

BBC's Race Across the World: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0002tvs/race-across-the-world?seriesId=p0f5x536

Tom setting impossible standards for regular trainees - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlWj-1gjrFs&t=76s

Tom again showing he's hench enough for orthopaedics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaWzbowbvwU&t=153s


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life Before Knife (Pt. 1)17 Sep 202300:43:56

This is probably the biggest dilemma facing surgeons of all grades, stages and demographics; how do we juggle the knife and our life? Let's call it what it is...we need to have a life-work balance. The job is all-consuming and will devour your very essence if you let it, so how do we straddle both domains successfully? In the first of this three-parter (because, let's be honest, this is a huge topic worthy of time), we discuss:

  • Good habits that can set you up to maximise your day and stop admin encroaching on your free time.
  • Balancing the different roles we occupy.
  • Making time for your hobbies and pursuits, whether those are smashing out ultra-triathlons, going outside to touch some grass or even just binging Netflix.
  • Pearls of wisdom given to us by the wise old trainers of yore, warning us to capitalise on youth and freedom so that we're left with more than regret when we finally put the scalpel down.


Remember....get busy living or you'll be too busy shivving!


Walking Britain - finding walks close to you: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/

Ramblers - even more meandering: https://www.ramblers.org.uk/

D.A. Parry, R.S. Oeppen, M.S.A. Amin, P.A. Brennan (2018). Could exercise improve mental health and cognitive skills for surgeons and other healthcare professionals? BJOMS 56(5)367-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2018.03.005.

Balancing a personal life with a surgical career | The Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (rcseng.ac.uk)


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where's Your Head At? 03 Sep 202300:39:53

As we discussed in the previous episode, sometimes life and the job sticks the boot in, and kicks you when youโ€™re already down. Picking ourselves up is easier said than done.

Psychology is a vital aspect of any high-performance industry because we need to believe we can do it; not just for us, but also for the people who rely on us. Sometimes we need extra help to find the right headspace.


Today weโ€™re joined by Nicola Forshaw, counsellor, therapist and professional coach and we talk about how coaching and/or mentoring can get you back in the zone.


Whatโ€™s the difference between the two? How does a good mentor mentor? What benefits does it bring? How do we combat performance anxiety? How much time do we really need in the stretch zone? Is it bad if we like wallowing in the comfort zone? Are we on the highway to the danger zone?!

Look, stop asking questions and just listen; all will be revealed. Now drop and gimme 20!


You can't say 'danger zone' without listening to Kenny Loggins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siwpn14IE7E

Nicola's endeavours - Nine Coaching, Teaching and Wellbeing: https://www.nineteaching.com/

Gagnon, L & Abbasi, N. (2018). Systematic review of randomized controlled trials on the role of coaching in surgery to improve learner outcomes. The American Journal of Surgery, 216(1), 140โ€“146. https://do.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2017.05.003

Lin, J & Reddy, R (2019). Teaching, mentorship, and coaching in surgical education.ย Thoracic surgery clinics,ย 29(3), 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.thorsurg.2019.03.008


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You Can't Backslab a Broken Heart20 Aug 202300:40:43

So youโ€™ve got into specialty training? Made it to the promised land? You can turn it on to autopilot and cruise your way to the end rightโ€ฆ?


Wrong.


Buckle up and strap yourself in! This is where shit gets real.

Many trainees will be absolutely fine, but what if youโ€™re one of the ones who arenโ€™t? Complaints? SUI? Complications? Failing FRCS? All these things knock your confidence which is essential for both survival and progression in surgery? So what do you do? How do you go on?


As eminent Gotham city physician Dr. Thomas Wayne once rhetorically asked his son: โ€œWhy do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up againโ€ฆโ€

Granted, even though weโ€™re a) surgeons not physicians, b) not billionaires and c) not Batmanโ€ฆthe sentiment still holds true.

Today weโ€™re joined by local lad, orthopod extraordinaire and all-round top bloke Rich Unsworth (Health Education North West) as we talk about the journey from the highest highs to the lowest lows, and how you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and find the will to carry on.

It's a long slog to the end, you might end up broken, and like the name of the episode suggests, 6 weeks in a plaster cast sometimes just isn't enough....



Pinto, A & Faiz, O & Bicknell, C & Vincent, C. (2014). Acute traumatic stress among surgeons after major surgical complications. The American Journal of Surgery. 208 (4). dot: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2014.06.018.ย 

Dean, E. Surgeons and mental health support. (2020). The Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of Englandย 102ย (6). dot: https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsbull.2020.169



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody Puts Trainees in the Corner! Pt. 206 Aug 202300:46:49

As the unstoppable bullying endemic wreaks havoc, bringing surgical trainees to their knees with widespread anarchy and chaos, one man must face his greatest challenge to battle injustice. However, is the @orthopodreg prepared to walk the fine line between defender and avenger, hero and vigilante?

Whilst that is just the synopsis of The Dark Knight (with a few names/details changed), it rings true for detailing the mammoth scale of the problem. In Part 2 of our look at bullying, we're privileged to be joined by the shining beacon of justice that is Simon Fleming.


The self-described misfit who has long been the target of bullies, starting as a fat kid, and then joining a speciality with the worst reputation for bullying. He made it his British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA) campaign pledge to tackle bullying at its root, and then dedicated the last decade of his life to doing so, being met with scorn, criticism and vitriol. Heโ€™s been the proverbial lightning rod for the wrath of the establishment, and the metaphorical shield for trainees to hide behind, despite constant threats to his training, career, and even his life.


We talk about his lifeโ€™s work, his personal experiences of bullying, how far the movement has come, where we are as a profession now, and how he will continue in his crusade as a consultant.

He is the hero that we as trainees deserve, but not the one we need right now. So he will be hunted. Because he can take it. A watchful protector. A not-so-silent guardian. Waitโ€ฆ is he actually Batman?



Simon's Twitter account: www.twitter.com/orthopodreg

One of Simon's most visible TED talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVkGiziPY1o

Simon Fleming: I launched an anti-bullying campaign to change culture in healthcare (2019). BMJ: 365:l2325ย doi:ย https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2325ย 

Fleming, S. and Fisher, R.A., Sexual assault in surgery: a painful truth (2021).ย The Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of England,ย 103(6), pp.282-285.

https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsbull.2021.106


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Obs & Gynae (Chris Jerichovary)07 Jul 202400:50:03

Well, we didnโ€™t expect them to make an appearance during this Royal Rumble of sorts, but they were called out early on and are here to lay the smacketh down!


Today weโ€™re joined by Alison Thompson and Sherif Shawer (Health Education North West) as we grapple with O&G. We talk about the highest highs and the lowest lows, and everything in between. Seen by some as an easy target, theyโ€™ve definitely got the respect of all us parents this season!


And itโ€™s clear that years on the labour ward knocking out Category 1 C-sections means they have the endurance, stamina and speed with a knife to bring the pain!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody Puts Trainees in the Corner! Pt. 123 Jul 202300:41:18

Time for some real talk! Bullying and surgery go together like drink-driving; historically seen as no big deal, not uncommon and frequently resulting in disaster. That is of course until some brave souls step in to permanently alter the landscape. Surgery is typically dominated by strong personalities and we as trainees have to learn directly from, and form close relationships with these individuals. Itโ€™s also a tough career fraught with challenge and adversity, so resilience is necessary.

However, when does it become too much? Where is the line between 'having a laugh' and 'bullying'? How much 'character building' do you need? Is bullying detrimental in surgery or is it turning you into a capable independent operator who can stand the heat in the kitchen? Do trainees just need to take a joke and get thicker skin?


No surgical trainee will have Patrick Swayze standing up for them like he does for Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing, but weโ€™ve got the next best thing; (former) trainees advocating for trainees โœŠ.


In the first episode of this two-parter, we're joined by Dave Riding (Consultant Vascular Surgeon, previously Health Education North West) who spearheaded the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh anti-bullying campaign.


We talk about the subtle beasts that are bullying, undermining behaviour and harassment. Does bullying actually result in patient harm? Have we been bullied? Who do we report this to? Should we report this? Wait, so have we bullied someone???! Are we the baddies?!


Lots to unpickโ€ฆ


RCSEd Anti-Bullying Campaign: https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/anti-bullying-and-undermining-campaign


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow09 Jul 202300:43:48
Or she. Or they. We'll champion anybody; these are just words to the song! National Selection is a competitive process and you have to fight tooth and nail to get an NTN. Unfortunately, there are often more applicants than jobs and not everyone will get the job they want. It can be truly soul-destroying to get knocked back with no consolation prize and the prospect of unemployment, but many (including us) have been there before. In this episode, we're joined by Yasir Tarar (Health Education North West) as we chat how to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, nurse your wounded ego, go job hunting, and find good Clinical Fellow jobs that treat you fairly, and give you the experience to springboard back into training far better than before. We discuss the different types of options you have; whether to go for an SHO, Clinical Fellow, or Research Fellow job, the hallmarks of a good department and the benefits of being a Clinical Fellow over a Specialty Trainee....who'd a thunk it?! Thereโ€™s much to be said for the development you can do outside of a formal training position which leaves you ready to hit the ground running in ST3. To the underdogs; hereโ€™s to us!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Build Me Up Buttercup25 Jun 202300:42:26

'Build Me Up Buttercup' is the seminal song from The Foundations and is a tale as old as time. It portrays the story of unrequited love, lovesick fools pining after the object of their desires, constantly being let down and messed around. And just like The Foundations, foundation doctors across the land endure a similar experience trying to claw their way into Core Surgical Training. And worst of all, HEE never call when they say they will!

Today we're joined by Helen Cashman (Health Education Yorks & the Humber) and Kaso Ari (Health Education East of England) and we talk about how they cobbled together an application, the abusive relationship you strike up with Oriel, practicing presentations to the point of police intervention, and their tips and tricks for avoiding the heartbreak getting in. We had a great time doing this episode talking about CST applications, because to be honest, if you don't laugh, you'll cry...



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Build Me Up Buttercup (Bonus)25 Jun 202300:11:03

Once we started ranting; we couldn't stop! The frustration, emotions and pop-culture references came pouring out. We had a lot to talk about and plenty of leftover audio after we actually finished recording. So we've got some bonus audio for your listening pleasure. Or not. Whatever you like!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fix Up, Look Sharp11 Jun 202300:44:22

To err is human; to remediate divine. No that's not an actual aphorism; we just conceived that now to sound smart. Surgical training is HARD. Whilst there are those who excel, there are also many amongst us who find it a struggle. Today we're rejoined by Nadeem Khwaja (Deputy Postgraduate Dean for Health Education North West, and Consultant Plastic Surgeon) and he's brought along Jon Ghosh (Associate Head of School for Health Education North West and Consultant Vascular Surgeon). We talk about the grind, the telltale signs it's wearing you down, the support that can be provided to you and that there's no shame in saying you need help. Even the people we'd least expect have...


JG's mad skills at work: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604367/Heavily-pregnant-woman-forced-birth-coma-21-year-old-speeding-driver-smashed-taxi-undertaking.html

Melton, W; Benjamin Jackson III, J; Koon, D et al. Orthopaedic Resident Remediation: Frequency, Intervention, Outcomes. JBJS Open Access.ย (2018) 3(4).ย doi:ย 10.2106/JBJS.OA.18.00011

To, H; Cargill, A; Tobin, S et al. Remediation of Underperformance in Surgical Trainees - A Scoping Review. Journal of Surgical Education (2020) 78 (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.10.010


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Kids on the Block28 May 202300:39:20

Do you remember your first time? The first time you thought 'I fancy a bit of this'? Well today we have a natter with the future of surgery! We have Jacqueline Howard from Surgical Scousers (University of Liverpool undergraduate surgical society), joined by Orlane Foucault and Jacob Tan from Scalpel (University of Manchester undergraduate surgical society) where we talk about the first time they 'caught the surgical bug', and the experiences they've had that have fired up their interest. In return (powered by their enthusiasm), we lift the lid on what they can expect from surgical training, swap our undergraduate horror stories and do our level-best to not....talk them out of the profession and exacerbate the workforce crisis....


Surgical Scousers (https://surgicalscousers.weebly.com/)

Scalpel (https://www.scalpelmanchester.com/new/)


Surgery School (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md2k5BD4qfs)


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Fold14 May 202300:37:33

It's exam season! So today we are dedicating a bit of time to biggest challenge to overcome in your early surgical career; the MRCS. How do you squeeze studying in and around your life? Cramming or planning? What resources do we rate? How do you take it on the chin if you donโ€™t pass?

We also get a bit philosophical; when can you call yourself a surgeon? Why do we drop the Doctor titleโ€ฆ?


Get Through MRCS: Anatomy 2nd Edition. Simon Overstall & Amit Zaveri (ISBN: 9781444170191)

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/b13525/get-mrcs-anatomy-2e-simon-overstall-amit-zaveri


RCS England website - qualifications of a surgeon: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient-care/surgical-staff-and-regulation/qualifications-of-a-surgeon/#:~:text=In%20London%2C%20after%201745%2C%20this,with%20the%20title%20%27Mr%27.


Loudon, I. Why are (male) surgeons still addressed as Mr? BMJ.ย 2000 Dec 23; 321(7276): 1589โ€“1591.ย 

doi:ย https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7276.1589ย 


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roll With It30 Apr 202300:44:43

"You gotta roll with it, you gotta take your time, you gotta say what you say, don't let anybody get in your way, 'cause it's all too much for me to take."

Yet another Oasis line that accurately captures the sentiment of the episode, which comes with a trigger warning as we talk about the entry into surgical training and how its changed over the years. In this episode, we're joined by Steve Tang (Health Education Yorks & the Humber) after his FIFTH(!!) crack at CST / ST3 National Selection. As frustrating as it can be to get your foot in the door, formal training programmes aren't the only way to forge a career in surgery; summat we touch on here. Thankfully, it's not all bad news as Steve's perseverance has paid off as he's finally been awarded an NTN! Well done lad! Also, RIP Jerry Springer; we definitely didn't see that coming.



Rohrer, Kennedy, andย Knight. Myths of MTAS and MMC; Journal of the Royal Society of Medicineย (2007); 100(6): 252-254. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885385/


MTAS Wikipedia Article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_Training_Application_Service


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't Look Back in Anger16 Apr 202300:47:37

It was only a matter of time before we snuck in an Oasis reference... In this episode, we get a bit existential as we discuss difficult placements, service provision, and tricky trainers. Not every placement will be plain sailing and we talk about survival tips to stop you capsizing, and help you come out smiling on the other side.


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NW_surgical

Reddit: www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wax On, Wax Off02 Apr 202300:45:19

Today we talk about how to capitalise on surgical training, maximise your learning opportunities and how you can even flip service provision into education! Don't worry Daniel-san, we will Mr. Miyagi you....

(NB All the advice provided was checked with Assad's own personal Miyagi, a two-time former TPD for both core and specialty trainees. Thanks JG!)


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ophthalmology (Macular D-Generation X)23 Jun 202400:38:55

Well that escalated quickly; a few weeks ago we had some specialties trash talking eyes and this week, out of nowhere, a specialty whose name we're not sure how to spell dive into the ring to rise to the challenge. Not strictly a pure surgical specialty, but they have knives ๐Ÿ”ช and they cut eyes ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ. Some might say they're the envy of us all; they knock out ten times as many cases on a list as the rest of us, and all they're still home in time for tea! So today we focus the lens ๐Ÿ”ฌon Hugo Whyte and James Richardson-May (Health Education Wessex) and lift the lid on the good bits, the bad bits and the stuff they wish they'd known before starting training. Who are they enlisting for desert island survival ๐Ÿ๏ธ and who are they taking on in a fight? ๐ŸฅŠ They might not be known for their physical prowess, but that doesn't matter; you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses right?! ๐Ÿค“



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams19 Mar 202300:49:53

"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I've ever known, but its home to me and I walk alone"


We've gone national! In this episode, we're joined by Anuradha Venugopal (StR Vascular Surgery Health Education West Midlands) and James Forsyth (formerly StR Health Education Yorks & Humber, now Consultant Vascular Surgeon at the Leeds General Infirmary) to sit down and discuss the hurdles we vault in training, and the most pressing question of all.... Is surgical training worth it??


Email us: surgicalcareersNW@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death by acronyms05 Mar 202300:55:57

"The TPD wonโ€™t let me be, nor the SAC so let me see. They try to shut me down on ISCP but it feels so empty without me"


In this episode we're on our best behaviour as we talk to Mr. Nadeem Khwaja, the Head of the NW School of Surgery (recently promoted to Associate Dean) about who the deanery are, how they oversee surgical training, what they do for us and finally what those bloody acronyms actually mean!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introduction - Stitch & bitch20 Feb 202300:22:36

In this introduction, we talk about: the origins of the series; our motivation (or initial lack thereof); our goals; our hopes/wants/dreams; our inspiration, the creative process and the 'love letter' to Assad's favourite show. It's definitely just a tribute. Please don't tell on us.


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paediatric Surgery (Sprog Van Dam)09 Jun 202400:31:23

This episode is all about the kids; Jamieโ€™s got his hands full with his, leaving Assad with Andrรฉ Cardoso Almeida (Health Education West Midlands) marking the entrance of paediatric surgery into the ring. The circle is complete; the apprentice has become the master! First crossing paths in general surgery during CST when Assad was a junior reg, Andrรฉ has motored through training and recently CCTโ€™d.


We chat about:

  • Surgery on teeny tiny people with teeny tiny organs where losing a few drops of blood ๐Ÿฉธ has an impact on the circulating volume ๐Ÿซ€.
  • Pulling on emotional heart strings ๐ŸŽป as a fringe benefit ๐Ÿ˜
  • The nerves of steel ๐Ÿ˜ถ lying beneath a cheery exterior ๐Ÿ™‚
  • Operating on patients anywhere from a few days ๐Ÿ‘ถ to a few years old ๐Ÿง’, in different cavities ๐Ÿซ and systems.
  • Desert island survival ๐Ÿ๏ธ
  • Who could they lay the smack down on? ๐Ÿคผโ€โ™€๏ธ Surely they wouldnโ€™t? Not in front of the kids!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'll Be Back After A Quick Commercial Break26 May 202400:19:38

It's tough fitting a podcast around life, training, families, kids and crucially for trainees....ARCP season! As Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park so succinctly says "Life...uh...finds a way". And life has very much found a way to intrude in our recording schedule. So whilst we get around to bringing in more specialties into the ring, here's a bit of a catch up amongst old friends. We talk about:

  • Realising you're past it ๐Ÿ‘ด
  • The scientific methodology in reality TV ๐Ÿ”ฌ
  • Veterinary surgical subspecialties ๐Ÿ”ช
  • Surgical souvenirs ๐Ÿชจ๐Ÿฆต
  • Cannibalism (as you do) ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ‘€



Feline aortic surgery:

Vezzosi T, Buralli C, Briganti A, Vannozzi I, Giacomelli E, Talamanca GF, Sansoni A, Domenech O, Tognetti R, Surgical embolectomy in a cat with cardiogenic aortic thromboembolism,ย Journal of Veterinary Cardiology,ย https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2020.03.002.


Self-cannibalism following traumatic amputation:

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/8p5xlj/hi_all_i_am_a_man_who_ate_a_portion_of_his_own/


Radiohead being their cheery selves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lpw3yMCWro


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ENT (Rey MystEARio Jr.)12 May 202400:37:25

This week is the turn of ENT ๐Ÿ‘‚๐Ÿ‘ƒ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธand Assad has roped some old friends into the fray. Weโ€™re joined by Kate Hamnett and Joe Stansfield (Health Education North West) as we have at them; the good bits, the bad bits, the clinics (are they good or bad?), vertigo ๐ŸŽญ, bewildering anatomy mixed in with a bit of voodoo ๐Ÿช„. And as you might expect from a bit of a catch up; we get a bit waylaid and off topic, but thereโ€™s plenty there for you to listen to!


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maxfax (Kurt Angle-of-the-Mandible)28 Apr 202400:38:34

This episode brings the true heavyweights into the arena; we are joined by Zak Cole-Healey and Basim Dawoud (Health Education North West) as we get our teeth into maxfax! There's lots to unpick; what is it that compels a person to do both dentistry AND medicine?! ๐ŸŽ“

How do you afford it?! ๐Ÿ’ธ

So do maxfax deal with teeth or not? ๐Ÿฆท (tbh we're still not quite sure...) How do they pick up their skills?๐Ÿง As for who they could take in a fight? Soft tissue, orthopaedics ๐Ÿฆด, vascular ๐Ÿฉธ and plastics ๐Ÿ”ฌ skills, plus the stamina for two degrees?! These guys are truly capable of bringing the pain, and also dealing with the aftermath!



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Specialty Series Smackdown Halftime Show19 Apr 202400:23:42

And now, a brief pause in our ongoing specialty series. We bring you our halftime show!

Well not really, we have some bits left over from other episodes we want to bring you. Unfortunately, life gets in the way sometimes and whilst we deal with the realities of training and living, sometimes scheduling, recording and editing has to take a backseat. This is still stuff we haven't released, and we will be back to bring the smacketh down in the coming weeks...


Edit: To those that brought this to our attention, thank you and sorry ... Some things are better left unsaid.


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steri-Strips & Wound Glue13 Oct 202400:31:02

And so, we are closing up again. We discuss some of the other finer points of this specialty series:

  • The ability to amuse oneself is one of the purest joys
  • Audiences in new places
  • Nearly a full house of specialties...
  • ....However, it's harder to remain anonymous in smaller circles
  • We re-affirm our commitment to bringing you solid content...
  • ...But our lives and our jobs are getting more serious now..
  • Our plans for next season


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fresh Frozen Sections06 Jul 202500:53:46

Brought to you in the middle of ARCP season and family holidays, we get introspective and put ourselves under the microscope, to explore why we ended up down the the route we did ๐Ÿ”ฌ

  • Why do so many brown people end up in medicine?๐Ÿ‘ณ๐Ÿพโ€โ™‚๏ธ ๐Ÿฉบ
  • Is it hardwired into ethnic DNA?๐Ÿงฌ
  • Cultural and racial differences we can only discuss as friendsโ€ฆ๐Ÿ˜ฌ
  • Private vs. state education and the relative merits of each ๐ŸŽฉ ๐Ÿพ
  • How is the transition into the surgical persona beneficial for life? ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿง’โ€๐Ÿง’


=============================

John Cusack in โ€˜Say Anythingโ€™: https://youtu.be/VEgu7jdc_fs


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wouldn't It Be Nice? 22 Jun 202500:36:33

Don't worry don't worry! Thank you for your concerns for welfare, we've not had a bust-up or lost interest; it's just that life/work/training/families get in our way and are making it increasingly difficult to find time to record. And with it having been ARCP season recently, we set our portfolios to overdrive at the expense of everything else.

What starts out as a catch-up devolves into a lengthy chat/rant about:

  • Prophylactic tie-wearing to assert dominance
  • Training and the conflicting directives therein
  • Selling out to corporate sponsorship
  • Peppa Pig
  • Medical superstition


And more... Anyways aside from chronicling our trials and tribulations, we strategise on ways we plan to deliver what we set out to deliver in this season. More episodes to follow!


================================================================

The clip from Wayne's World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lgLYGBbDNs

Orthopaedics vs. anaesthetics BMJ Xmas study https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7506

Just like Stevie Wonder says, superstition ain't the way: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0883944118303770#

The Peppa Pig effect https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jul/19/peppa-pig-american-kids-british-accents

This episode was actually recored on the day the man, the legend Brian Wilson died, inspiring the title of this episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lP8BZcyoEQ


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Versions of Surgeons (Part 1)06 Apr 202500:45:05

This week has us scoping out surgeons in the media and our favourite examples. Are these portrayals accurate? Where exactly do they come from? Which ones are based on just pure stereotypes and which ones must be getting that insider information?

We discuss:

  • The historical hassle of having to arrange out of hours imaging ๐Ÿฉป
  • Every surgeonโ€™s dream ward round ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ’จ
  • Art imitating life ๐ŸŽจ
  • The little details that make these programmes particularly poignant ๐Ÿšฐ
  • The worst examples never show the admin we do! ๐Ÿ“‘
  • No matter how over the top, thereโ€™s no smoke without fire ๐Ÿ”ฅ
  • And, as a little extra (keep tuned to the end!) some people getting it all mixed up ๐Ÿ™ƒ
  • Also, some of the joys of a decent hairdresser ๐Ÿ’‡โ€โ™‚๏ธ, a proper brew โ˜•๏ธ, and a chance to offload ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ


There are SO many examples that we didnโ€™t get to cover, so we will probably come back to this topic again.


Hereโ€™s some of the source material we discussed in the episode:


Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The heart of a lion, the eyes of an eagle, and the hands of a lady..."02 Mar 202500:48:43

It has oft been said that โ€œThe heart of a lion, the eyes of an eagle, and the hands of a lady maketh the surgeon.โ€ Well then, time to get into it! Who or what are surgeons? What makes us tick? Do we really need the โค๏ธ of a ๐Ÿฆ, the ๐Ÿ‘€ of an ๐Ÿฆ… or the ๐Ÿ’…of a๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ผ to do the job well?

  • Are the characteristics needed to be a surgeon hardwired into us? ๐Ÿงฌ
  • If surgeons were made to wear the Harry Potter sorting hat, what house would we be, and what does that say about usโ€ฆ?๐Ÿ
  • We get introspective about our own personalities and how we fit into this work persona ๐Ÿ”ฌ ๐Ÿค“
  • How much crossover is there between us and psychopaths? ๐Ÿซฃ
  • Are we really more attractive than other types of doctors? ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธ
  • What does it all really boil down toโ€ฆ? ๐Ÿ”ช๐Ÿ™


โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”-

Additional sources discussed in this episode:

Well, we're not gonna argue! ๐Ÿ˜ https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/08/30/survey-surgeons-are-the-most-attractive-doctors/

Yikes ๐Ÿ˜ฌ https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1308/rcsbull.2015.331

If you say so...https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/44562/some-surgeons-may-be-psychopathsbut-thats-no-bad-thing



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I cut; therefore I am.02 Feb 202500:31:39

We're back after a very lengthy break! In that time we talk about:

  • Snow days and the joys therein โ˜ƒ๏ธ
  • Moonlighting when you're off the clock / back-street quackery ๐Ÿฆ†
  • Pumping those logbook numbers up! โฌ†๏ธ
  • Flirting with disaster...๐Ÿ˜…


But essentially, we're using this episode to mark our transition into what we have planned for this season, and that is to get all existential and explore who or what are surgeons? What makes us tick? What makes us cut? Is there an archetypal surgeon? How relevant is that in today's workplace? ๐Ÿค”

All / probably some of these things will be explored in the forthcoming season.....ARCP pending. Ha.


(As mentioned previously, we have to reduce the frequency of episodes to monthly for our own sanity, well-being and to ensure we still have our training numbers ๐Ÿคž)



Email us: surgicalcareersnw@gmail.com

Twitter: @NW_surgical (www.twitter.com/NW_surgical)

Reddit: u/surgicalcareersNW (www.reddit.com/u/surgicalcareersNW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ยฉ My Podcast Data