🚀 What Would You Say To Surgical Trainees About To Start?

All eyes on you - but are you ready?

This is the beginning one of the most challenging, rewarding, and character-building chapters of a surgical career. Here are some tips to get your started.

🧭 Pace Yourself

This isn’t a sprint — it’s a career.

Master the behind the scenes work first:

✅ Get comfortable being a definitive source for decision making without panic - people will regularly bring you fires to put out. Embrace it.

✅ Managing surgical emergencies - pre op, intra op and post op

✅ Leading ward rounds with confidence

✅ Making evidence-based decisions confidently

✅ Supporting your junior team - you may find this means you're still doing what you did before whilst fulfilling the new role you are in.

That solid foundation in the day to day routine actvities will make the difference in the long run.

🐢 Don’t Run Before You Can Walk

Yes, many colleagues will boast about doing “big cases solo.” Let them.

You’ll too be ST 43536272 and 6 months from finishing training— and when you do, your main thoughts will most likely be, have I seen enough to be confident to get myself out of trouble in various surgical scenarios.

🧠 Watch. Learn. Reflect. You’ll never regret seeing more than you’ve done.

🤝 Be Seen. Be Interested.

Take time to know your department and the people in it

You don’t have to overshare or be the loudest in the room. Just show genuine interest in the work and the people you work with.

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ These are the colleagues who’ll support you when your motivation dips — and they’ll remember your name when opportunities come up. They may also be the more experienced support you need in challenging situations.

📚 Study Hard, Study Early

Surgery is a hands-on craft, an apprentiship — but it’s also deeply intellectual.

Even if you’re not the one holding the knife yet, understand the why behind every move and options available. It will allow discussion about decision making for the case.

Knowledge and skill go hand-in-hand. Build both early. Depth takes time, but it’s worth it.

Pace yourself

Enjoy yourself

Immerse yourself

Surgical training will stretch you physically and emotionally — but it will also shape you into something remarkable.

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