Career Options in Surgery

Career options in surgery

A guide to planning your surgical career

Professional Standards and RegulationThe Royal College of Surgeons of England35–43 Lincoln’s Inn FieldsLondonWC2A 3PE

www.rcseng.ac.uk/publications/docs

The Royal College of Surgeons of England © 2008

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no guarantee can be given that all errors and omissions have been excluded. No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

First published 2008

Designed and typeset by The Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandPhotography by the photographic unit, The Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandPrinted by the Aldridge Print Group, Mitcham, Surrey

Career options in surgery 3

CONTENTS

Introduction 05

Section 1 Do I want to be a surgeon? 06 Whobecomesasurgeon? 06 Settingsinwhichsurgeonswork 08 Surgeons’colleagues 08 Workingoptions 09

Section 2 What kind of surgeon do I want to be? 11 Cardiothoracicsurgery 12 Generalsurgery 13 Neurosurgery 14 Oralandmaxillofacialsurgery 15 Otolaryngology 16 Paediatricsurgery 17 Plasticsurgery 18 Traumaandorthopaedicsurgery 19 Urology 20

Section 3 How do I become a surgeon? Ways to enter a surgical career 21 Trainingpathway 21 Fixedtermspecialtyappointments 23 Careergrades 23 Academicsurgery 26

Section 4 How to succeed at entering surgery 28 Howtofindtherightjobforyou 28 Howtoensureyouareeligibleforthejobyouwant 30 Howtodemonstrateyouaretherightpersonforthejob 32

Section 5 How to succeed while you are in surgery 38 Yourprofessionaldevelopment 38 Sourcesofsupport 40

4 The Royal College of Surgeons of England


Introduction

Surgerycanbeanidealcareerforanyonewhoissuitablytalented;therearemanyhighlysuccessfulsurgeonsfromeverybackgroundandgender.Acareerasasurgeonisanexcitingprospect:bothchallengingandextremelysatisfying.Butisittherightcareerforyou?

Thisbookletisdesignedtohelpyoumakethisdecisionandtoplanyoursurgicalcareerbyoutliningtheoptionsyoucanpursueinsurgery.Itprovidesinformationonthenatureofasurgicalcareer,outliningeachofthespecialtiesandwhattheyinvolve,aswellassuggestingwaystosucceedwhenenteringsurgeryandduringyoursurgicalcareer

Whilethisbookletisintendedprimarilyforusebythoseplanningorre-thinkingtheirsurgicalcareer,itcanbeusedasasourceofinformationatanystageinyourcareer.Thebookletissplitintosectionsthatwillenableyoutofindtheinformationyouneedateachpointofyourcareer.Thefirsttwosections,‘DoIwanttobeasurgeon?’and‘WhatkindofsurgeondoIwanttobe?’,willbeusefultoyouatthestartofyourcareerorifyouareconsideringamajorcareerchange.Thethirdandfourthsectionswillprovideyouwithinformationyouneedtoenterasurgicalcareer.Thefifthandfinalsectionwillhelpyoutomaintainyourcareerinsurgeryonceyouhavesuccessfullyenteredtheprofession.


SECTION 1: Do I want to be a surgeon?

Therearemanybenefitsyouwillgainfromacareerinsurgery:itisrewarding,offersahighlevelofjobsecurityandacomfortableincomeandyouwillconstantlybelearningnewskills.However,youwillneedtobesurethatyouaresuitedtosurgeryandthatyouwanttobeasurgeon.

Thereareanumberoftoolsthatwillhelpyouanswerthisquestion.Onceyouhaveconsideredwhatyourstrengthsandweaknessesare,youwillneedtogatherinformationaboutcareersinordertoasseswhichfitsbestwithwhatyouwant.Thissectionisdesignedtoaidyouwiththisprocess.Itwillhelptoformageneralunderstandingofwhatacareerinsurgeryentailsandwhatyourlifeasasurgeonmightbelike.Latersectionswillprovideguidanceonhowyoucantakeyourcareerforward,havingdecidedonyourplans.

Thesetopicsarethenexploredinmoredetailforeachsurgicalspecialtyinsection2.

Who becomes a surgeon?Youwillfindavastarrayofpersonalitytypeswithinsurgeryandyouwillencountermanydifferentbackgroundsandgendersaseachspecialtyholdsitownappeal.However,surgicalspecialtiesareamongthemostcompetitiveareasofmedicineintheUK.Tosucceedinsurgeryyouwillneedbothtechnicalskillsandabroadknowledgebase.Youwillalsorequiredeterminationandcarefulcareerplanning.

Thissectioncovers:

whobecomesasurgeon?settingsinwhichsurgeonsworksurgeons’colleaguesworkingoptions

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Career options in surgery �

Broadlyspeaking,asoutlinedinSelecting into Surgical Training(FPattersonandVCarr,December2007),tobeselectedintosurgeryyouwillneedtodemonstratecompetencyinthefollowing:

technicalknowledgeandclinicalexpertise(andabilitytoapplyknowledgetotheinvestigationofproblems)–eg:elicitingthenecessaryinformationfrompatients,identifyingkeyissues,knowledgeofappropriateoptions,goodhand–eyecoordination

communicationskills(abilitytoadaptbehaviourandlanguagetothesituation)–eg:clearlyexpressingideas,flexibilityincommunicationstyletosuitsituation

leadershipandteaminvolvement–eg:positivitywhendealingwithproblems,non-confrontational,abilitytonegotiateanddelegate

judgementunderpressure–eg:remainingcalmandundercontrol,abilitytocompromiseandknowingownlimitations,abilitytoseekhelpifrequired

decisionmaking–eg:abilitytojustifydecisionsflexibility,consideringallfactorsbeforereachingadecision

situationawareness(includingawarenessofandabilitytointerpret/dealwithsubtlechangesinclinicalconditions)–eg:awarenessofcostandclinicalvalueofinvestigations,abilitytoanticipateevents,awarenessofsymptomsandsignssuggestingchangestopatientscondition

problemsolving–eg:thinkingaroundanissue,abilitytoprioritisethinkingaheadandplanningfordifferentcontingencies

organisationandplanning–eg:anticipatingneedsforchangingsituations,managingtimeandresourceswell,negotiatingsolutionstocomplexandcompetingneeds

professionalintegrity–eg:respectingpatientsandcolleagues,abilitytoadmitandlearnfrommistakes,positivitywhendealingwithproblems

personalattributes(decisiveness,honesty,emotionalstability,drive,focus,empathy)

learninganddevelopment(identifyingandfulfillingyourownlearningneeds,self-reflection)–eg:abilitytoreflectandlearnfromownwork,

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toidentifyandfillgapsinknowledge,commitmenttocontinuingprofessionaldevelopment

Throughoutyourcareer,youwillhaveopportunitiestoassessyourprogressagainstthesecriteriathrough360-degreefeedback,andotherassessmenttools,asoutlinedontheIntercollegiateSurgicalCurriculumProgramme(ISCP)websiteathttp://www.iscp.ac.uk/.

Afullerdiscussionofhowyoucandemonstrateeachoftheseattributesfollowsinthe‘howdoIbecomeasurgeon’section.

Settings in which surgeons workObviously,mostofasurgeon’sworktakesplaceinahospitalsetting,eitherintheNHSorintheprivatesector.Surgeons’timeisplannedanddividedintosessions.(Onesessionisapproximatelyhalfaday’swork.)Inadditiontoperformingoperations,surgeonsalsohavetoundertake

wardrounds,outpatientclinics,administrativeworkandteaching.Further,manysurgeonsalsoengageinadditionalprofessionalactivitiessuchasteaching,researchormedicalpolitics.Foralloftheseactivitiesyoucanexpecttotravel,bothwithintheUKandinternationally.Theproportionofasurgeon’stimetakenupwitheachoftheseactivitieswillvaryaccordingtohisorhergradeandspecialty.

Surgeons’ colleaguesWorkingwellwithbothprofessionalcolleaguesandpatientsisessentialforsurgeons.Allsurgeonscanexpecttoworkcloselywithnurses,therapists,othersurgeons(lessandmoresenior),anaesthetists,radiologists,pathologists,referringdoctors(egGPs),administrativestaffandmanyothers.

Career options in surgery �

Eachofthesecolleaguesperformsanessentialroleintheeventualaimofaidingthepatient’streatmentandthesurgeon,whateverhisorhergrade,willberequiredtoformfunctioningworkingrelationshipswithinamultidisciplinaryenvironment.

Working optionsThetrainingpathwaywilltakesurgeonsthroughavarietyoftraininggradestoaneventualpostasaconsultantsurgeon.Currently,thisinvolvesfoundationtrainingfortwoyearsinavarietyofmedicalspecialties,followedbycompetitiveentryintocoretraininginsurgery.Thiswillinvolvemanysurgicalspecialtiesbutmaybethemedtowardsaparticularspecialtyinwhichyouwilleventuallyspecialise.Thisisfollowedbyapproximatelysixyearsinspecialtytraining.WhenyouhavecompletedthisyouwillbeawardedaCertificateofCompletionofTraining(CCT)andcanapplyforconsultantpostsoryoumayundertakefurthertrainingorafellowship.

Inadditiontothistrainingpathway,therearemanyotherwaysinwhichyoucanpractiseasasurgeon.Indeed,thetrainingpathwaywillnotappealtoallaspiringsurgeonsandtheoptionsoutlinedbelowmaybemoresuitabletobothyourlifestyleandcapabilities.

Career grade surgeonsCareergradesurgeonsnormallyworkwithintheNHSandperformavarietyofroleswithinthesurgicalteam.Theyarenotengagedinaformaltrainingprogrammealthoughtheyshouldexpecttraininganddevelopmentaspartoftheirworkinglives.Youcanenteracareergradepostatanumberofpointsalongyourcareer.Youarelikelytoneedaspecialtyqualificationofsomekind(suchasmembershipofaroyalcollege)andtohavecompletedatleasttwoyears’trainingafterthefoundationyears.Youwillfindmoredetailaboutthisinsection3.

Thedutiesofacareergradesurgeonwillvaryaccordingtotheconditionsunderwhichheorshewasemployed.However,nearlyallwillundertakeclinicsandperformoperationsunderthesupervisionofaconsultant.Thelevelofthissupervisionvariesbutmanyreachalevel


wheretheyworkwithverylimitedsupervision.Indeed,itisnowpossibleforcareergradesurgeonstoapplyforentrytothespecialistregister.Careergradepostsaregivenoneofmanytitles,whichmayincludestaffgrade,specialtydoctor,hospitaldoctorandTrustdoctor.

Thebenefitsofthiskindofpostareoftenrelatedtoflexibility;youmayhaveamorepredictablescheduleandfeweron-callduties.

Academic surgery (http://www.nccrcd.nhs.uk/)Academiccareerswillappealtothosesurgeonswhoareinterestedinresearchandthedevelopmentofnewtreatmentsaswellaspractisingsurgeryinaclinicalsetting.Youcanenteracademicsurgeryfollowingyourfoundationjobsorlaterinyourcareer.Topursuethiskindofcareer,youwillhavetobefullycommittedtoacareerinacademicsurgery.Youwillfindmoreinformationaboutthisinsection3.

Flexible working (less than full time)Youcanapplytoundertakeanyofyourtrainingonalessthanfull-timebasisifyourcircumstancesfulfiltherequriements.Itwillobviouslyimpactonthenumberofyearsyouspendintrainingifyoudecidetotrainonaflexiblebasis.Ifyouarenotintraining,thereareamanyoptionsyoucanrequestfromyouremployertoreduceorrearrangeyourworkinghours(egterm-timeworking,annualisedcontract).Totrainflexiblyyoumustworkatleast60%offull-timehours.Limitingtotalworkinghoursto48perweek,theEuropeanWorkingTimeDirectivealreadyappliestoconsultantsandcareergradedoctorsandwillapplytodoctorsintrainingfrom2009.


SECTION 2: What kind of surgeon do I want to be?

Thereareninerecognisedspecialtieswithinsurgery,eachofwhichwillprovideyouwithdifferentchallengesandrewardsthroughoutyourcareer:

cardiothoracicsurgerygeneralsurgeryneurosurgeryoralandmaxillofacialsurgeryotolaryngology(ENT)paediatricsurgeryplasticsurgerytraumaandorthopaedicsurgeryurology

Therearesomefactorsthatarecommontoallspecialties.Forexample,inallspecialtiesyoucanexpecttoundertakesometeaching,researchandmanagement.However,therearealsodifferencesbetweenthespecialties.Thissectioncoverseachoftheseninespecialties:thetypeofworkinvolved,workingconditions(oncall,emergencywork,clinics,

administration,etc),workingoptionsandhowcompetitivethespecialtyis.Asyoubecomemoreadeptinyourchosenspecialty,youwillhavetheopportunitytosub-specialisefurther.Thissectionalsooutlinessomeofmainareasofsub-specialisationwithinsurgery.

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ude:

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ells

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Career options in surgery 1�

Wor

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king

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peti

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illha

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mm

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Ala

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clin

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ry.

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ryh

asa

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leve

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erge

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may

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here

ar

efe

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est

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spec

ialis

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pa

edia

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gery

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you

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limite

din

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phic

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n.

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uar

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oth

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ery

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anot

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spec

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m

ayt

rain

int

heo

ther

spe

cial

tya

nd

spec

ialis

ein

pae

diat

ricc

ases

.

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isa

rela

tivel

ysm

alls

peci

alty

.In

2007

the

rew

ere

16a

pplic

atio

nsp

er

ST3

post

.

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iatr

ic s

urge

ryTh

esu

rgic

alt

reat

men

tof

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ases

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uma

and

mal

form

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fchi

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ears

(fo

etal

per

iod

tot

eena

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ears

).

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ialis

tar

eas

incl

ude:

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nata

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logi

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ildre

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ers

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altie

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hoh

ave

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tere

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pae

diat

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ons

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erna

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wor

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opt

ions

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Muc

hof

the

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volv

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ithu

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tor

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ndt

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vere

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and

and

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kin

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ing

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ands

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ap

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eral

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ered

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one

oft

hem

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ive

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alls

peci

alty

with

lim

ited

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ning

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port

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pos

t.

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ent

and

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genc

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ork

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ude:

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dtr

aum

a,bu

rns

and

scal

ds,a

nds

oft

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ein

jurie

sin

volv

ing

face

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nko

rlim

bs.

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tive

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ayin

clud

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econ

stru

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esu

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cial

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ities

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ast

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educ

tion

and

augm

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hand

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upp

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surg

ery.


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king

con

diti

ons

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erna

tive

wor

king

opt

ions

Com

peti

tion

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tant

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ntrib

ute

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nem

erge

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ma

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jure

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Ede

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ts.

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ene

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ound

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sear

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Trau

ma

and

orth

opae

dics

iso

ne

oft

hem

ost

com

petit

ive

area

sof

su

rger

yas

wel

las

bein

gon

eof

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la

rges

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lties

.In

2007

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rew

ere

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pplic

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per

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pos

t.

Trau

ma

and

orth

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dic

surg

ery

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join

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ndt

heir

asso

ciat

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oft

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clud

ing

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ents

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ves

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uma

wor

kin

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es

frac

ture

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dot

her

inju

ries.

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ialis

tar

eas

incl

ude:

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pper

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spor

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xerc

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ry.


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king

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Alt

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king

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Com

peti

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riety

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ually

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and

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isin

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Dea

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SECTION 3: How do I become a surgeon? Ways to enter a surgical career

Onceyouhavedecidedthatyouwanttopursueacareerinsurgery,youwillneedtogoaboutplanninghowyoucanachievethis.Asallspecialtiesinsurgeryarehighlycompetitive,itiswisetobeawareofallofyouroptionsandallofthewaysinwhichyoucanpractisesurgery.

Thissectioncoverssomeofthewaysinwhichyoucanenterandfollowasurgicalcareer,specifically:

thetrainingpathwayfixedtermspecialtytrainingappointmentscareergrades(egspecialtydoctorandstaffgradepositions)academicsurgery

Training pathwayThetrainingpathwayisthemostdirectroutethroughsurgicaltraining.Followingeachstageoftraining,particularlyintheearlyyears,youwillneedtobeselectedintothenextstage.Ifyouareunsuccessfulattheseselectionsordecidethatanalternativeroutewouldsuityoubetter,thereareotheroptionsyoucantakeup.Theseareoutlinedlaterinthissection.Itisimportantthatyoumakecontingencyplansthroughoutyourcareersothatyouarepreparedfortheunexpected.

>>>>


Medical schoolEntry methodPre-requisites

DurationExaminationOn completion

Applicationandinterview;possiblyexaminationAtleastthreeverygoodAlevelsinrelevantsubjects,goodGCSEresults5–6yearsMBBS,MBChBProvisionalregistrationwiththeGMC

Foundation programme (F1 and F2)*

Entry methodPre-requisitesDurationExaminationOn completion

Onlineapplication(ranked)ProvisionalregistrationwiththeGMC2yearsN/A(cantakepartsofMRCS)FullregistrationwiththeGMC

Core training (CT1 and CT2)†

Entry methodPre-requisitesDurationExaminationOn completion

Applicationformandselectioncentre/interviewFullregistrationwiththeGMC2yearsMRCSN/A

Specialty training (ST3 upwards)†

Entry methodPre-requisites

DurationExaminationOn completion

Applicationformandselectioncentre/interviewMRCSexaminationSuccessfulcompletionofcoretrainingEvidenceofcommitmenttoasurgicalcareerusually6years(dependsonspecialty)Intercollegiatespecialtyexamination(FRCS)CertificateofCompletionofTraining(CCT)

Senior medical appointment (eg post-CCT training, consultant position, etc)

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ExceptionsNeurosurgeryandoralandmaxillofacialsurgerydonotfollowthispathway.Neurosurgeryrecruitsinitiallyintocoreneurosciencetrainingafterthefoundationprogramme.Thereisnoselectionbetweenthiscoreneurosciencetrainingandneurosurgeryspecialtytraining.

OralandmaxillofacialsurgeryrecruitsdirectlyintospecialtytrainingfollowingCT1,thereisnoadditionalselectionintoST3.

Fixed term specialty training appointmentsFixedtermspecialtytrainingappointments(FTSTAs)arenormallyavailableatCT1andCT2levelandwhichwillprovideyouwitheducationallyapprovedtraining.Eachpostislimitedtoaperiodof12monthsandyoumayonlyundertakeamaximumoftwooftheseposts.

FTSTAsprovideanexcellentwaytoimproveyourportfolioandskillseitherinordertopursueacareeratahigherlevel,forexampleinacareergradepost,orwhilepreparingtoapplyfortraininginthenextrecruitmentround.

Becausethesepostsarestrictlytimelimited,youmustbesuretoplancarefullywhatyouwishtogainfromthemandwhatyournextstepswillbe.

Career grades (eg specialty doctor and staff grade positions)Thereareanumberofcareergradeposts;itislikelythatinthefuturethemostcommonofthesewillbethespecialtydoctor,whichisanewtypeofpostthatwasdevisedinspring2008.

Thegroupofcareergradepostscomprisesstaffgrades,associatespecialists,clinicalassistants,hospitalpractitionersandothernon-standard,non-trainingTrustgrades.ThesesurgeonsworkinkeyserviceroleswithintheNHSandcarry


outawiderangeofsurgicalcare,ontheward,intheoutpatientclinicandintheoperatingtheatre.

Youcanenterthesepostsatalmostanypointinyourcareerwhenyoudecidetoleavethetrainingpathway.(Obviously,thiswillbesubjecttosuccessfullynavigatingtheapplicationprocess.)However,itwillbeeasiertopursueafulfillingcareerthatincludestrainingandprogressionifyoucompletesomeofyourtrainingbeforeleavingthetrainingpathway.

Specialtydoctorpostswillallowyoutoprogressthroughthegradeandyouwillbeexpectedtotakepartinregularappraisals.Youwillalsotakepartinjobplanningthatwillensureyouaregiventheopportunitytodevelopyourskillsandknowledgetoassistyourprogressionthroughthegrade.

Entry requirementsTheminimumentryrequirementsforspecialtydoctorpostsare:

fullGeneralMedicalCouncil(GMC)registrationminimumoffouryears’postgraduatetraining(twoyearsofwhichmustbeintherelevantspecialty)

Working conditionsLikeallsurgeons,youwillworkinahospitalsettingwithcolleaguesacrossmanydisciplinesandspecialties.Thelevelofsupervisiontowhichyouaresubjectwillvarydependinguponyourprogressionandsenioritywithinthegrade.

Forfull-timespecialtydoctors,theworkingweekwillnormallybe40hours,comprising10programmedactivities(sessions)of4hourseach.Mostofthesewillbededicatedtoclinicalwork(includingadministration)andatleastoneofthesesessionsmustbeforsupportingactivities(egcontinuingprofessionaldevelopment).Youwillbepaidextraifyouare

>>


expectedtoworkoutsidecorehours(7am–7pm)andforanyon-calldutiesyouundertake.

Unlikepostsonthepathway,whicharetimelimitedandrequirefrequentmovestodifferenthospitals,specialtydoctorshaveapermanentcontractinonelocation.Thisallowsgreaterstabilityinyourhomelife,anabilitytoundertakelong-termprojectsandadeeperknowledgeofindividual(long-term)patients.

Development and progressionThecontractforspecialtydoctorsmakesitclearthattheymustbebothallowedandencouragedtoplantheirjobandundertakeappraisalwhilebuildingaportfolioofworkimprovingtheirskillsandknowledgebase.

Whiledevelopingthisportfolioofexperience,youwillbeabletoparticipateinsupportingprofessionalactivitiessuchas:

formalteachingcontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentappraisalresearchauditworkwithaprofessionalbody(suchasaroyalcollegeortheBritishMedicalAssociation)management

Whenyouhavereachedthetopofthespecialtydoctorgrade,youwillhaveahighlevelofexpertiseandspecialistknowledge.Youwillalsohavetheabilityandopportunitytoworkindependentlyasagreedwiththeorganisationinwhichyouwork.

Shouldyouwishtore-enterthetrainingpathwayatalaterpointinyourcareer,thereareopportunitiesforyouforapplytopostswithinthisstructurealthough,ofcourse,youwillhavetopossessallthenecessaryskillsandqualificationsandcompeteforpostsfairlyinthenormalmanner.Ifyouareeligible,youwillbeallowedtoapplyfortrainingpostsbutshouldrememberthatcompetitionwillbefierce.

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Alternatively,ifyoucontinueinacareergradepostuntilyouhavereachedalevelequivalenttothatofanewCCTholder,youcanapplyforentrytothespecialistregisterviaarticle14oftheGeneralandSpecialistMedicalPractice(Education,TrainingandQualifications)Order2003.Ifsuccessful,thisprocesswillawardyouaCertificateofEligibilityforSpecialistRegistration(CESR),whichisequivalenttotheCCT.

Academic surgeryAcademicsurgeryinvolvessomeclinicalworkaswellassomeresearchorteachinginahighereducationsetting.Topursuethistrainingpathway,youshouldbecommittedtoboththeclinicalaspectofthejobandtheresearch.Approvedacademicposts(academicclinicalfellowshipsandclinicallectureships)arerelativelyfewinnumber.Tosucceedinobtainingoneoftheseposts,youwillneedtohavedemonstratedexcellence(orthepotentialforexcellence)inacademicmedicineaswellasinyourclinicalabilities.Youshouldnotexpecttopursuethiscareerasaneasieroptionthanthetrainingpathway.

Entry requirementsEarlyinyourcareer(normallydirectlyfollowingthefoundationprogramme)youcanapplyforanacademicclinicalfellowship(ACF).ThisisaspecialtytrainingprogrammeandwilleventuallyleadtotheawardoftheCCT(assumingyoucompletetherestofyourtraining).

Clinicallectureships(CLs)areaimedatsurgeonswhohavealreadyundertakensometraininginsurgeryandhavecompletedsomeresearch.YoumaywishtoconsiderapplyingforaCLfollowingcompletionofan


ACF.Alternatively,youcouldapplyforaCLatapointroughlyequivalenttoST3levelonthetrainingpathway,aslongasyouhavepreviouslycompletedenoughacademicorresearchworktobeeligible.

Working conditionsIntheearlypartofyourcareer,inanACFpost,youcanexpecttospend75%ofyourtimeundertakingclinicaltrainingand25%undertakingresearchoreducationalisttraining.Thesepostslastamaximumofthreeyears,afterwhichyoucanapplyforaCLtofurtheryouracademiccareer,attempttore-enterthetrainingpathwayorapplyforalternativeposts,suchasspecialtydoctorposts.

CLslastamaximumoffouryears,duringwhichtimeyouwillcompleteyourspecialtytraining.Youcanthereforeexpecttospendaproportionofyourtimeundertakingclinicaldutiesandthesametrainingasyourcolleaguesonthetrainingpathway.Therestofyourtimewillbespentundertakingresearchandteaching.

Progress and developmentHavingcompletedyourtraininginacademicsurgery,youcaneitherpursueahighercareerinresearchandacademicsurgeryoryoucouldapplyforentirelyclinicalpostsasyouwillhavecompletedyourspecialtytraining.


SECTION 4: How to succeed at entering surgery

Entryintoallaspectsofsurgeryisverycompetitiveandwillrequireyoutobewellprepared.Youshouldplanyourfirstandsecondchoicecareerroutesasearlyaspossibleandfrequentlyreviewyourprogresstoensureyouareabletofollowthesepaths.Suchcarefulplanningwillalsomeanthatyouarebetterabletodealwithanyunexpectedchangestoyourplans.

Thissectionwilloutlinethethingsyouneedtodotosuccessfullynavigatetheprocessofidentifyingandgettingthejobsyouwant.Specifically,itwillcover:

howtofindtherightjobforyou

howtoensureyouareeligibleforthejobyouwant

howtodemonstrateyouaretherightpersonforthejob

How to find the right job for youYoushouldhavestartedtoplanyourcareerwhenyouwereatmedicalschool.Thisinvolvesfirstlyidentifyingwhichspecialtyinterestsyouandthenstartingtocreateaportfolioofexperience,knowledgeandskillswhichdemonstratesyourcommitmentto,andaptitudefor,thatspecialty.Togothroughthisprocesseffectively,youshouldconsiderwhatyouwantfromyourcareerandwhatskillsyouhave.

Havingdecidedyouwishtofollowacareerinsurgery,thereareotherfactorsyoumustalsoconsider.Forexample,howimportantisyourgeographicallocation?Furthermore,youshouldconsiderhowcompetitiveyouarewhencomparedtoothercandidates;someareas,suchasLondon,areextremelypopularandcompetitionwillbefiercer.Onlyyouwillbeabletoanswerquestionssuchastheseandyoushouldgivethemcarefulconsiderationbeforeapplyingforjobs.Mostimportantly,youmusthonestlyassesswhetheryouaresuitableforthejob:payverycloseattentiontothepersonspecificationandjobdescription.Ifyou

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applyforapostforwhichyouhavetoomuchortoolittleexperience,youmaynotevenbeconsidered.

Completingtheapplicationandrecruitmentprocessforanyjobinvolvesaconsiderableinvestmentofyourtimeandeffort.Spendingtimeapplyingforjobsyoudonotreallywantwillinevitablymeanyouareunabletodedicateasmuchefforttoapplyingforthejobsyoureallydowant.Therefore,wellbeforeyoubeginapplyingforpoststoprogresstothenextstepinyourcareer,makealistofwhatyouarewillingtocompromiseon,aswellaswhatisessentialforyoutohaveinanyjob.

Veryfewpeopleareluckyenoughtobeofferedexactlythejobtheywantsoapplyforafewandensureyouhavesomesecondchoiceoptions.However,rememberthatifyouacceptapostyoumusttakeitup:youcannotacceptanofferandthenrejectitifyouaregivena‘better’offerelsewhere.

Forpostsinthetrainingpathway(includingtheacademictrainingpath),aslongasyoumakesureyouareintouchwiththerelevantnetworksandsourcesof

information,forexampleModernisingMedicalCareers(MMC),youwillreceivealotofinformationaboutwherejobswillbeadvertisedasthesewillnormallyallbecomeavailableatroughlythesametimeandtherewillbenationallydefinedrecruitmentepisodes.Careergradepostsarenotsubjecttosuchpreciselytimetabledrecruitmentandyouwillneedtoconstantlymonitorrelevantwebsitesetcforadvertisements.

Jobsarelikelytobeadvertisedon:

individualdeanerywebsitesindividualTrustwebsitestheNHSJobswebsite(http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/)BMJCareers(http://careers.bmj.com/careers/)

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Inadditiontothis,somewebsitessuchastheRemedyUKJobs(http://jobs.remedyuk.org/)providesummariesofalltherelevantjobsthathavebeenadvertisedonthesitestheymonitor.Youwillalsofindsomejobsviaagenciesalthoughthesewillnotbeapprovedfortrainingandarelikelytobelocumpositions.

How to ensure you are eligible for the job you wantWhenyouapplyforanypostinsurgery,atboththeapplicationformandselectioncentre/interviewstage,youwillbeaskedtodemonstratethatyouhaveachievedcertaincompetencies.Thesewillincludespecialty-specificknowledgeandskillsbutalsomoregeneralcareer-basedskills.Thissectionwillconsiderwhattheseskillsareandhowyoucanacquirethem.

Listsofclinicalcompetenciescanbefoundaonnumerouswebsites.Ifyouareapplyingforapostearlyinyourcareeratalevelsimilartothecoretrainingyears,youneedtodemonstratethatyouhaveachievedthefoundationyear2competencies.Thesearelistedonthefoundationwebsite(http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/pages/medical-students/how-to-apply/).

Whenapplyingforposts,youwillneedtodemonstratethatyouhavecompletedthecompetenciesforthelevelbelowthattowhichyouareapplying.YouwillfindthesecompetenciesareoutlinedontheISCPwebsite(http://www.iscp.ac.uk/).Foundationlevelcompetenciesarelistedonthefoundationprogrammewebsite(http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/).

Inadditiontospecialty-specificclinicalortechnicalskillsandknowledge,youwillrequireskillssuchascommunication,leadershipandteaminvolvement,judgementunderpressure,decisionmakingandproblemsolvingaswellasgeneralprofessionalintegrity.Thesehavebeenlistedinmoredetailinsection1.


Youwillacquiresuchcompetenciesfromawiderangeofactivitiesthatyouundertake,boththosethatyouundertakespecificallytoimproveyourcareerportfolioandthosethatareanintrinsicpartofyourworking(andprivate)life.Youshouldtrytothinkimaginativelyaboutsituationsinwhichyouachievecompetenciesandshouldnotlimityourthinkingsolelytoworksituations.

Thingsyoucandotogainexperienceandimproveyourportfolioinclude:

attendcoursesattendconferences,seminars,etcmakepresentationsatconferences,seminars,etcjoinororganiseajournalclubjoinandparticipateinrelevantassociationsundertakeself-directedlearningteachand/ordemonstrate(anatomydemonstrationpostsareparticularlyuseful)researchwriteletters,articles,reports,etcforpublicationauditprojectsworkinalternativeenvironments,egelectivesatmedicalschooljoinandparticipateinyourmedicalschoolsurgicalsocietychoosesurgically-focusedoptionsatmedicalschool

Itcanbedifficulttoworkouthowyoucangaintheseexperiencesbutwithalittleresearchandeffortyouwillbeabletoundertakemostofthese.Youcangainteachingexperienceinformalpostsbutthesecanbedifficulttoobtainandtofitintotherestofyourcareer.Youcanalsogainteachingexperiencebyvolunteeringtoteachpracticalskills,suchas

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teachingatyouruniversitysurgicalsociety.Alternatively,youcanorganiseeventsforlocalschoolpupils,tellingthemaboutcareersinmedicineandteachingthempracticalskillsthatwillhelpwiththeirapplicationstomedicalschool.

Youwillbeabletogainalotofadditionalexperiencebytalkingtoseniorcolleagues.Youmaybeallowedtoobserveorassistintheatre,toundertakeauditorresearchprojectsorjusttositinonclinics.Aslongasyouarewillingtocommittowhateverprojecttheyhelpyouwithanddonotexpectthemtosuperviseyoutooclosely,mostconsultantsandother

moreseniorstaffwillbehappytohelpyou.However,theycannothelpyouifyoudon’task(butdon’tpesterthemiftheysayno!).

Therearemanyassociations,networksandorganisationsyoucanjoinorbecomeinvolvedwith.Aquickinternetsearchwillrevealmostoftheseandsomearelistedattheendofthisbooklet.

Whicheveroftheactivitiesoutlinedaboveyoudecidetoundertake,makesureyoukeepyourrecordsuptodateandkeepcorrespondence,certificates,confirmationofattendance,etc.Ifyoudon’trecordactivitiesasyoudothem,youwillfinditveryhardtocompileyourportfolioandwriteyourapplicationforms.Ifyouhaveworkedwithaclinicianoutsidethenormaltrachingprogramme,askforaletterofsupport.

How to demonstrate you are the right person for the jobTherearethreemainpointsatwhichyoushoulddisplayallofthecompetenciesyouhavegainedfromyourexperiences:

inyourapplicationformand/orCVinyourportfolioattheselectioncentreorinterview

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Application formTheapplicationformisthefirststageintheapplicationprocessandyoushouldthereforededicatesufficienttimetoitscompletion.Forapplicationstopostsinthetrainingpathway,youarelikelytohavetocompleteanapplicationformthatwillaskyouforinformationaboutyourtrainingandexperiencesofar,aswellasanumberofquestionsthatwillrequireyoutoprovideexamplesofparticularcompetenciesandhowyouhavedemonstratedthese.

Youshoulddraftanswerstothequestionsbeforehandandthencopythemacrosstotheform,particularlyifyouareusinganonlineform.Thiswillhelpyouavoidanyseriousmistakesorspellingerrors.

Toensurethatyouareabletocompletetheapplicationformwellintheappropriatetimescale,youshoulddraftsomeanswerstoquestionsyouthinkmayarisebeforeyoubegintheapplicationprocess.Examplesmayinclude:

DescribeatimewhenyouhavehadtomakeadecisionunderpressureWhatexperienceofdeliveringteachingdoyouhave?Describearecentexamplefromyoursurgicalexperienceofatimewhenyoufounditdifficulttomakeaneffectivejudgementinachallengingsituation.Howdidyouovercomethisdifficultyandhowhasthisexperienceinformedyoursubsequentpractice?

Makesureyoureadtheapplicationformverycarefullyandprovideappropriateanswersrelevanttothepersonspecification.Examplesfromyourportfoliowillbeveryhelpfulinthisprocess.

Remember:ifyoudonotprovidesuitableevidenceofyourcompetenciesonyourapplication,itmaynotbeclearthatyoumeettheentryorselectioncriteria.Therefore,youmaynotbelonglisted/shortlisted/invitedtointerview.

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CVAlthoughapplicationformsarebecomingthemorenormalmethodofapplication,formoreseniorpostsorforcareergradeapplicationsyoumaybeaskedtoprovideyourCV.

YourCVwillprobablyhavelessthantwominutestoimpresstheassessorofyoursuitabilityforthejobsoagoodfirstimpressionisvital.Ensureitislogicallyandclearlylaidoutandrelevantinformationiseasytofind.Tosaveyourselftime,itisworthspendingsomeeffortona‘master’copyofyourCVthatcanthenbeupdatedasyouprogress.

AgoodCVshouldcombineenoughrelevantdetailtogetyouontheshortlist,withclearexamplesofhowyoumeetthekeycompetenciesrequired.Itshouldchartyourpersonalandprofessionalexperienceandqualifications,makingitclearhowtheyarerelevanttothejob.

Qualificationsandexperienceshouldbeclearlystatedsothereadercanseeimmediatelythatyoumeetthebasicrequirementsofthepost.Aclearsummaryofclinicalexperienceisvitalandyoushouldalsomakeitclearthatyouaresuitedtothewiderrolesofasurgeon:emergencies,outpatientclinics,daycare,workinthewardandworkintheoperatingtheatre.Includeyourexperiencesinperi-operativepatientcarealongwiththelistofoperationsyou’veperformed.

PortfolioAportfolioissimilartoanexpanded,extendedCVandwhatevercareerrouteyoudecidetofollowinsurgery,youshouldmaintainaportfoliothroughout.Thereareanumberoftoolsavailabletohelpyou,suchastheelectronicportfolioavailablethroughtheISCP.Youarelikelytobeaskedtoshowyourportfolioattheselection


centreorinterviewwhenyouareapplyingforpostsinthetrainingpathway.Ifyoudecidetoundertakecareergradeposts,youwillalsofindyourportfolioinvaluablewhengoingthroughappraisalstoprogressthroughthespecialtydoctorgrade.Furthermore,ifyoulaterdecidetoapplyforaCESR,yourportfoliowillbeacentralpartofyourapplication.

Whileyoumaynotberequiredtoshowyourportfoliotoanyonebeforeyouattendintervieworselectioncentre,itwillbeusefultohavecompiledyourportfoliobeforethispointsothatyouarefamiliarwithitandcanuseittohelpwriteyourapplications.

Tocompileyourportfolio,youshouldorganiserelevantcareerinformationinaringbinderorsimilar,withacontentspageandindextabstoensureitiseasierforbothyouandtheselectioncentreassessortonavigate.Youmayhavetorefertospecificevidencesoyourportfolioshouldbelogicallyandclearlylaidoutforeasyaccess.Theportfolioandtheevidenceitcontainswillsupportyourapplication,anysubsequentinterviewsandyourongoinglearningwhenyouhavebegunyourpost.

Yourportfolioshouldshowyourcommitmenttosurgery.Inadditiontoincludingarecordandevidenceoftheactivitiesyouhaveundertaken(asoutlinedabove),youshouldensureyourlogbookisuptodate–eitherpaper-basedorinelectronicformsuchasthatfromtheISCP.Youshouldmakesureyouincludereflectiveexamplesfromyourworkaswellasdocumentaryevidenceofanyextraactivitiesyouhaveundertaken.

Typesofevidenceincludedinyourportfoliomightinclude:

logbookofclinicalactivitytrainers’reportsauditswrittenworkplaceassessmentslistofcompetenciessignedbysupervisingconsultantassessmentssuchasDOPSandmini-CEX(seeISCPwebsiteathttp://www.iscp.ac.uk/)

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ExampleportfoliosareavailablefromwebsitessuchasthefoundationportfolioontheMMCwebsite(http://www.mmc.nhs.uk/).Thesewillgiveyoustructurestouseforrecordingbutyoushouldrememberitisyourpersonalinputthatisimportant.

Inyourportfolio,itwillbeusefultoproduceasummarytablelistingallofthecompetenciesrequired(egthoselistedontheISCPwebsiteathttp://www.iscp.ac.uk/,howyouhaveachievedthemandwhereinyourportfolioevidencecanbefound.

Selection centre/interviewForpostsinthetrainingpathway(excludingfoundationposts),youarelikelytobeinvitedtoattendaninterviewandmaybeinvitedtoaselectioncentre.Forotherposts,suchasthoseinthecareergrades,youaremorelikelytobeaskedtoattendaninterview.However,theuseofselectioncentresisbecomingincreasinglypopular.

Whetheryouareattendingaselectioncentreorinterview,thereareanumberofthingsyoucandotoensureyouareaspreparedaspossiblebeforehand.Makesureyouarefamiliarwiththepersonspecificationandthecompetenciesthatitrequests.Thinkabouthowyoumeettheseandexamplesthatdemonstratethis.Makesureyouarewellpresentedandsmart;thiswillnotbeadecidingfactorbutitwillhelpyoufeelmoreprofessionalandtheselectorstoviewyouinafavourablelight.

Theselectioncentreislikelytobealargevenuewithinthedeaneryregiontowhichyouhaveapplied.Itisunlikelytobeinahospitalandmaywellnotberelatedtomedicineatall.Forexample,somedeaneriesholdinterviewsinlocalhotelsandtheLondondeaneryhasheldinterviewsatTheRoyalCollegeofSurgeonsofEngland.


Whenyouarriveatthecentre,youwillbemetbyamemberofadministrativestaffwhowilltellyouwhereyoushouldgo,etc.Therearelikelytobemanycandidatesatthecentreandyoumayberequiredtowaituntilitisyourturntogotothenextstation.

Thenatureofthesewillvaryaccordingtowhereyouareapplyingandwhatspecialtyyouareapplyingto;somewillhavemany‘stations’wheredifferentcompetenciesaretestedindifferentways,othersmayhaveonlyone.However,asaminimumyoushouldexpecttohaveatleast30minutesofassessment,includingastructuredinterview.Thisinvolvespre-setquestionsthatwillbethesameforallcandidates.Thesequestionswillassessyourlevelofcompetencyagainstthoserequestedinthepersonspecificationandwillaskyoutoreflectonyourpastexperienceand/oryourreactiontoahypotheticalsituation.

Stationsthatyoumayhavetocompleteinclude:

astructuredinterviewinwhichyoudiscusshypotheticalclinicalormanagementsituationsastructuredinterviewinwhichyoudiscussyourcommitmenttosurgeryandyourbehaviourinpastrelevantsituations(eg‘Whenhaveyoumadeadecisionunderpressure?’)aportfolioreviewinwhichyoureflectonyourskills,competenciesandeducationalneedswithevidenceexamplesfromyourportfolioasimulatedconsultationwithapatient(whowillbeplayedbyanactor)awrittenexercise,egcompletingaconsultationrecordandmanagementplangroupdiscussionpracticalexercise,egsuturingorknottying,examiningapatient,etc

Pleasenote:thislistisnotexhaustive;youmaybeaskedtocompleteallornoneoftheseandyoumaybeaskedtocompletealternativestations.

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SECTION 5: How to succeed while you are in surgery

Your professional developmentThroughoutyourcareer,youwillneedtoundertakecertainactivitiestoensurethatyouarereadyforyournextstepandyouareabletogaintheexperiencesyouwillfindfulfillingandusefulinyourcurrentpost.

Thissectionconsiderstheseactivitiesandhowyoucanusethemtoensureyoucontinuetofindyourcareerinterestingandsatisfying.Specifically,itwillcover:

planningyourcareer:thenextmoveandmakingmostofopportunitiestransferableskills

Planning your career: the next move and making the most of your opportunitiesAlthoughtherearemanypeopleandresourcestohelpyouwithyourcareerplanningandprogression,itisimportantthatyourememberthatthisisessentiallyyourresponsibility.Youshouldregularlyassessyourcurrentpositionagainstyourplansandevaluatewhatyoustillneedtodo(intermsofacquiringskillsanddemonstratingthatyouhavedoneso)tobereadyforthenextstepinyourcareerplan.Youarelikelytohaveformalopportunitiestodothis,eitherwithyoureducationalsupervisororthroughtheappraisalprocess.However,anymeetingsyouarrangewillbefarmoreproductiveifyoualsoundertakethiskindofreviewyourselfbeforehand.

Keepingrecordsishelpfulinthisprocess.YoushouldmakesurethatyoukeepyourCVandportfoliouptodateanddon’tjusttrytocollate

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everythingwhenyouapplyforanewjob.Ifyoucan’tfaceconstantlyupdatingyourportfolio,atleastmakesurethatyoukeepanyusefuldocumentationsothatthejobislessarduouswhenyoudoundertakeit.Thekindsofrecordsyoushouldkeepare:

certificatesofattendanceatcourses/conferences,etccopiesofpublicationscorrespondencerelatingtoanyadditionalworkyouhaveundertaken(egvoluntaryteaching)copiesofcompletedworkplace-basedassessments,etc

Youwillneedtokeepyourlogbookuptodatecontinuously.Ifyoudonotcompletethisasyougoalong,itwillbeincrediblydifficulttodosoinretrospect;unlessyouhaveaphenomenalmemory,youwillnotrememberandincludeeverythingthatyouhavedone.

Inadditiontothis,youalsoneedtoensureyouundertakealloftherequiredworkplace-basedassessmentsconsideredinyourappraisal.AfulllistoftheseisavailablefromtheISCPwebsite(http://www.iscp.ac.uk/).Theseassessmentsaredesignedbothtojudgewhetheryouhavereachedtherequired

levelandtohelpyouconsiderwhatyoustillneedtolearn.Assuch,theyareinvaluabletoolstohelpyouconsiderrealisticallyyourprogress.

Whenconsideredinconjunctionwithyourfutureplans,recordslikeyourportfolioandCVwillhelpyouidentifyanygapsinyourskillsandexperience.Youreducationalsupervisorandtheappraisalprocesswillhelpyouconsiderwaysinwhichyoucanfillthese.However,youshouldagainrememberthatitisultimatelyyourresponsibilitytoundertaketheseactions.

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Transferable skillsDuringyourcareer,youmayfindthatyouwantorneedtoreconsideryouroriginalplan.Shouldthisbethecase,youwillfinditusefultohaveanunderstandingofwhichofyourskillsaretransferable.Youwillhavegainedmanyskillsthatcanbeappliedtomanysituationsandyoushouldnotlimityourselftothinkingyouareonlycapableofsucceedinginthespecialtyinwhichyouhavepreviouslytrained.

Non-clinicalskillsthatmaybetransferabletoothersettingsinclude:

management(ofresources,timeandpeople)

communication

decisionmaking

negotiation/influencingskills

teamwork

anunderstandingofhowcomplexorganisationswork

Thesecanbeappliedtoarangeofcareersbothinsideandoutsidemedicine.

Furthermore,youwillalsohavegainedawealthofclinicalskillsandknowledgethatwillallowyoutoconsidereitheralternativespecialtieswithinsurgeryoralternativemedicalspecialties.Youmaybeparticularlysuitedtoaspecialtythathasstronglinkswithsurgery,suchasaccidentandemergency,obstetricsandgynaecology,anaestheticsorinterventionalradiology.

Sources of supportTheLondondeaneryhaslaidoutaclearstructureofcareerssupportwhichwillguideyouthroughthestages.Fullinformationaboutthiscanbefoundintheirbooklet‘Planningyourmedicalcareer:aguidetocarerssupport’.

Thismodelhasfourtiers:

self-help(forallstagesofyourcareer)

educationalsupervisor/appraisers(forallstagesofyourcareer)

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Trust-basededucationalfaculty(fordoctorswhorequireexpertcareersadviceandinsights)

deanery(fordoctorsexperiencingdifficultyorrequirespecialistadviceandtraining)

Thissectioncoversorganisationsandwebsitesyoucanapproachinthefirststage.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England – Opportunities in SurgeryOpportunitiesinSurgery(OiS)canprovideinformationonallaspectsofsurgicalcareersandcanfacilitatecontactwithexperiencedsurgeonsifrequired.

http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/career/[email protected]

The Royal College of Surgeons of England – Women in SurgeryWomeninSurgery(WinS)isanationalorganisationworkingtopromotesurgeryasacareerforwomenandtoenablewomenwhohavechosenacareerinsurgerytorealisetheirprofessionalgoals.WinS’missionistoencourage,enableandinspirewomentofulfiltheirsurgicalambitions.YoucanjointheWinSnetworkforfree.Throughthisnetwork,WinSprovidesadvice,guidanceandpastoralsupportforwomeninsurgeryandthoseconsideringenteringit.

http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/career/wins/[email protected]

The Royal College of Surgeons of England – regional representativesTheCollegeworkswithvariouslocalsurgeonswhocoordinatesurgerywithintheirregion.Theseinclude:

schoolofsurgery(considersawiderangeofissuesaffectingsurgeonsinadeaneryregion)

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programmedirectorsandsurgicaltutors(whoareresponsibleforsurgicaltrainingwithinaprogrammeorhospital)

Youshouldbeawareofwhothesepeopleareinyourregion.Ifyouarenot,youshouldcontacttheCollegeformoreinformation.

Specialty associationsEachsurgicalspecialtyhasanassociation.Thelevelofsupportofferedvariesbetweenassociations;youcanfindoutmorebyvisitingtheirwebsites.

Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP)TheISCP(http://www.icsp.ac.uk/)providesdetailsofninesurgicalcurricula,standards,levelsofcompetenceandassessmentaswellasinformationandguidance.Ifyouareinthetrainingpathway,youmustregisterwiththiswebsite.

Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT)ASiTisamembershiporganisationthatrepresentssurgicaltraineesatregionalandnationallevelonallmajorsurgicalcouncilsandcommittees(surgicalroyalcolleges,theJointCommitteeonSurgicalTraining,etc).Traineesaresupportedbyspecialtyrepresentativeswhoaddressconcernsandqueriesrelatingtothespecialtyandalsoregionalrepresentativeswhoassistwithtrainingissues,giveadviceandsupportandputonsponsorededucationalandrecreationalmeetings.MembershipgivestraineesdiscountsonsurgicaltextbooksandtheBritish Journal of Surgery.Membersarealsoofferedtravellingfellowships,placesonlaparoscopiccoursesinParis,subsidisedexaminationcoursesfortheMRCSvivaandtheFRCSpart3preparation,discountedsurgicalloupesandreducedratesonnationalcourses.

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British Orthopaedic Training Association (BOTA)BOTAdevolvedfromASiTtorepresenttheviewsoftraineesinorthopaedics.ItisamembershiporganisationsolelyfororthopaedictraineesandoffersasimilarrangeofservicestothoseprovidedbyASiT.

Doctors.net.ukDoctors.net.ukisanonlinecommunityformedicalstudentsandGMC-registereddoctors,providingsupportthroughonlineforumaswellasanonlinelibrarywithawiderangeofmedicalresources.Italsoprovidesfreeelectroniccontinuingmedicaleducationmoduleswithclinicalandprofessionalcontent.

Careers support websitesGeneral medical careers information

QueenMary,UniversityofLondon–CareerDiagnosishttp://www.cxdx.qmul.ac.uk/

BritishMedicalJournal(BMJ)Careershttp://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/advice-overview.html

BritishMedicalAssociation(BMA)CareersServicehttp://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Hubcareersadvicefordoctors

TargetMedicineCareersAdvicehttp://targetjobs.co.uk/medicine/

Kent,SurreyandSussexDeanery–CareersSupporthttp://careers.kssdeanery.org/

TrainingIntercollegiateSurgicalCurriculumProgrammehttp://www.iscp.ac.uk/

TheFoundationProgrammewww.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/

ModernisingMedicalCareershttp://www.mmc.nhs.uk/

PostgraduateMedicalEducationandTrainingBoardhttp://www.pmetb.org.uk/

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Choosing a specialtySpecialtyChoiceInventory–Sci59http://sci59.open.ac.uk/

LondonDeanery–Careershttp://www.londondeanery.ac.uk/careers/

SouthYorkshireandSouthHumberDeanery–CareersAdvicehttp://www.syshdeanery.com/content.aspx?Group=Careers&Page=Intro%20to%20Careers

NorthWesternDeanery–Careershttp://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/careers/

NHSCareershttp://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/

The Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandCareershttp://www.rcseng.ac.uk/career/

OpportunitiesinSurgeryhttp://www.rcseng.ac.uk/career/opportunities

WomeninSurgeryhttp://www.rcseng.ac.uk/career/wins/

OrganisationsAssociationofSurgeonsinTraininghttp://www.asit.org/

BritishOrthopaedicTraineesAssociationhttp://www.bota.org.uk/

Doctors.net.ukhttp://www.doctors.net.uk/

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Support services for doctorsConfidentialSupportandAdviceService(forsurgeons)http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/support/

MedNet–LondonDeaneryCounsellingServicehttp://www.londondeanery.ac.uk/var/MedNet

TheDoctors’SupportNetworkhttp://www.dsn.org.uk/

BritishMedicalAssociationCounsellingServiceandDoctorsforDoctorsUnithttp://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Hubhealthandwellbeing

Volunteering, working abroad and army medical careersMédecinsSansFrontières(MSF)http://www.msf.org/

Merlinhttp://www.merlin.org.uk/

CommunityServiceVolunteershttp://www.csv.org.uk/

VoluntaryServicesOverseashttp://www.vso.org.uk/

ArmyMedicalCareershttp://www.army.mod.uk/join/career-paths/1099.aspx

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Acknowledgements

Withspecialthanksto:

theLondondeanerytheIntercollegiateSurgicalCurriculumProgrammeandtheWorkPsychologyPartnershipforinformationregardingcompetencydomains

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Allinformationiscorrectatthetimeofgoingtopress(June2008).

Ifyourequirefurtherinformation,pleasecontactOpportunitiesinSurgery:

[email protected]

Opportunities in Surgery35–43Lincoln’sInnFieldsLondonWC2A3PE02078696212OiS@rcseng.ac.ukRegisteredcharitynumber:212808

Documents

Career Options in Surgery