Surgical Society: Paediatric Surgery Chair

Hello, I’m Aishwarya and I’m a second year medical student. UCL Surgical Society has been invaluable in my exploration and understanding of a career in surgery and I would love to do the same for others, particularly for paediatric surgery. As I will be intercalating in Surgical Sciences next year, I would be able to fully involve myself and dedicate my time, whilst further building a network of contacts as Paediatrics Surgery Chair. 

If elected Paediatric Surgery Chair, I would aim to:

• Collaborate with regional and national paediatric surgical societies to host events 
• Host a conference in collaboration with UCL paediatrics society and MedSoc Paediatric subcommittee, helping students to understand the overlaps between the specialties
• Increase awareness on ethical issues in paediatric surgery - there is very little, if any, exposure to paediatrics, let alone paediatric surgery and related ethical issues until much later in medical school. 
• Increase exposure to paediatric surgery through increasing social media presence

My experiences:

• INUGSC Workshops Coordinator 2022
• Treasurer of UCL Jain society 
• Volunteering for an adolescent health service
• Part of an RCPCH action group

Paediatric surgery needs a lot more exposure within medical school. With my ideas, experiences and influence, I believe I can successfully ensure paediatrics surgery reaches medical students' radar.

I have been passionate about Paediatrics for a long time, ever since my placement aged 16 in NICU, the Labour ward, and general children’s wards, and this enthusiasm extended to surgery when I was given the opportunity to shadow a paediatric neurosurgeon in Great Ormond Street last year. I am a tennis coach to children and had experience teaching children with learning disabilities. I have attended many talks held by SurgSoc over the last two years and would love to explore the crossovers between specialties in relation to Paediatrics, for example, I have been involved with a project for the Plastics department of the Royal Free, and watched and discussed cases of child reconstructive surgery. As Paediatric Surgery Chair, I would host a series of talks with potential collaborations with Paediatric divisions of other societies, enabling a greater understanding of the various roles involved in child healthcare and how they collaborate with each other as a team. I am organised, determined and eager to work with others to increase involvement in Surgery, having been a Transition Mentor, Preclinical Representative for WinS for two years and Media Officer for Future Frontline (an organisation promoting roles in healthcare). I would like to select speakers who can have a further influence in the attendees’ careers, promoting work experience and mentorship as much as possible and giving members as much opportunity as possible to have an insight into Paediatric Surgery.