Surgical Society: Paediatric Surgery Chair

Hello, I’m Jon and it would be an absolute privilege to chair the Paediatric Surgery team next year! I hope to share my enthusiasm and passion in this specialty with the rest of the surgical society by providing an exciting year of experiences:)

I have contributed to running KEEN, a children’s charity delivering free 1:1 supportive services to children with additional needs, where I organised daily activities and residential trips regularly. Through this, I gained valuable communication and organisational skills in a paediatric context, and I would love to apply these skills to lead this subcommittee to provide engaging events!

By attending surgical conferences, and during my placement at the Royal Free this year,  I have been building contacts to Paediatric consultants in all areas of Medicine, and would love to use these links to provide new opportunities to anyone interested in a career in Paediatric Surgery.

The previous events have been fantastic, and I would like to build on this already high standard by:

• Holding a Paediatric Surgery conference with workshops, presenting and networking opportunities

• Provide Paediatric research opportunities (To add to your surgical portfolio!)

• Introduce a shadowing programme to provide a first-person insight into paediatric surgery

• Organising more practical tutorials

• Collaborating with other universities to hold more regional and national paediatric specialty events

Thank you and I hope I have your vote:)

I have thoroughly enjoyed my anatomical studies which, along with the dynamic and hands-on nature of surgery, fuels my surgical interest. Witnessing the excision of a spinal dermoid cyst from a little girl with myelomeningocele was a surreal experience with many doctors coming in and out to watch and document the methods of the surgeon. If given the opportunity to be paediatric surgery chair I would organise a talk with this renowned paediatric neurosurgeon so everyone can benefit from his abundance of knowledge. In addition to this I would really like to set up opportunities for students to witness surgeries like this and make the most of what the hospitals around us have to offer. Volunteering for UCL Next Top Doctor as well as taking the role of a telephone befriender for the elderly and working at Medic Mentor summer school, I have experience talking to a diverse audience. I am hardworking, determined and have excellent time management, having balanced a variety of endeavours alongside my degree. As a surgical sciences student for the upcoming year I am well equipped with the drive and passion needed to excel in this position. Furthermore having been on Hindu society committee and rums events subcommittee this year I have experience working alongside others which coupled with being deputy head girl at school puts me in good stead to thrive in this role. I’m energetic, love to get involved and have some fun so I hope I get the opportunity to be part of this committee!

As soon as I knew I wanted to study medicine, paediatrics and child health was my focus. As such, I have endeavoured to include it in every aspect of my academic journey so far, by taking the ‘Birth to 6 weeks’ SSC in first year, to researching the adverse effects of NICU hospitalisation on development during my second-year SSC ‘Are we failing our children?’ (newsflash, we are). 

Through exploring progress in the development of minimally invasive therapies for spina bifida repair, and the work being done to improve maternal and foetal outcomes of surgery during my iBSc, my interest in surgery took off. My last six weeks of clinical rotations, split between Trauma, orthopaedics, acute and general surgery have only strengthened it as a passion. Although my particular area of interest lies in minimally invasive prenatal therapies for the treatment of birth defects, I am keen to experience different specialities during my training. By applying for this post, I hope to create a network within which a passion for paediatric surgery can be nurtured so that the best and brightest minds go towards raising more just like them.

• What do I hope to achieve?

1. I want to promote accessibility to paediatric surgery, including fair-priced events, which will include conferences, hackathons and a guide to build a paediatric surgical portfolio. 
2. I aim to include engaging events for our more hands-on members including surgical workshops and an ALS tutorial focus on paediatric cases.
3. I also will provide plenty of opportunities to our academically-inclined members, including poster presentations and various competitions including quizzes
4. Bridge the gap in paediatric exposure, by providing early exposure to paediatric settings.
5. Collaborate with other universities for events, and establish a national journal club for members interested in paediatrics.

• Why should you pick me?

1. I have a lot of experience working in paediatric settings, working as the current hospital coordinator and soon-to-be project planner for the FunTeam, a paediatric charity.
2. I am a firm believer in accessibility, and will commit to make every member have a well-rounded understanding of what they should be doing at this point in their career, have plenty of opportunities to enrich their portfolio, and hopefully feel inspired but also have a realistic understanding of a career in paediatric surgery.

   P.S : I hope the picture will convince you that I make a good paediatrics candidate ☺️ !