MAHMOUD S. S. ALSHIEKH

This is my first post in the UK. As a surgical clinical fellow, my duties at Harefield hospital involve collaborating with colleagues to ensure the hospital's planned activity for in-patient and out-patient services is achieved.

In the operating theatres, I am accountable for assisting in both cardiac and thoracic procedures, and perform indexed surgeries under the supervision of the consultants. Additionally, I am training and supervising my junior colleagues after the consultants' permission to help them to gain various surgical skills. Moreover, I am responsible to maintain communication with the relatives of patients and document operative procedures, including important intra-operative events relevant to post-operative care. If operations were delayed or cancelled, I have to deal with it by communicating appropriately with the wards and explaining the situation to patients and their relatives.

I am also in charge of supervising the surgical care practitioner and junior colleagues within the unit. Moreover, I attend and assist in the outpatients’ clinics, taking responsibility for ensuring their efficient running, including the prompt dictation of clinic letters.

Conducting daily ward rounds, even on weekends and bank holidays when on-call, is also a critical responsibility of mine. I participate regularly in multi-disciplinary clinical meetings and monthly Clinical Audit Day. Moreover, I participate in our departmental weekly teaching.

During my resident on calls, including night on call, I am in charge of rounds on wards and high dependency unit and participation in emergency operations, assessment of in-patients, and external referrals. Advising on the discharge of patients under the care of cardiothoracic surgical consultants is another critical aspect of my duties.

In addition, I am responsible for administering the service, ensuring patient records are adequately kept by the junior staff, including daily notes on in-patients and prompt dictation of discharge summaries. Additionally, I ensure that data entry into our systems, including PATS, was timely and accurate, and to make sure that notes are representative and appropriate to the patient's true condition.

I had the opportunity to work as an associate consultant in cardiac surgery at a specialist tertiary centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This centre is known for providing all adult cardiac services and is also one of the designated ECMO referral centres in the country. During my time there, I performed and assisted in various types of procedures such as CABG, valves surgeries, and ECMO.

In the ward, I conducted regular rounds and provided care for pre-operative and postoperative patients. In the ICU, I provided surgical backup for managing surgical problems and reopened patients for bleeding. Additionally, I ran out-patient clinics regularly, and I was responsible for teaching and guiding medical students during their rounds.

Overall, working as an associate consultant at the cardiac surgery centre was a challenging yet fulfilling experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to providing the best possible care for their patients.

As an associate consultant in cardiac surgery at a King Khaled university hospital in Riyadh, I was involved in a wide range of responsibilities spanning across different areas. In the theatre, I was involved in various types of cardiothoracic surgeries including valve surgeries, CABG, and advanced aortic surgeries. I was also dealing with surgical emergencies.

Conducting regular ward rounds and providing pre- and post-operative care for patients were among my duties in the ward. In the post cardiac ITU, my team and I were accountable for covering it independently. I worked three shifts per week, where I was responsible for managing patients' medical and surgical needs, including reopening patients for bleeding and providing surgical backup in ITU.

Running out-patient clinics and regularly teaching and evaluating undergraduate medical students were also part of my responsibilities. I trained junior doctors in the theatre and I was responsible for their allocation.

Overall, my experience as an associate consultant in cardiac surgery has provided me with an opportunity to develop my skills in various areas, including surgery, patient care, teaching, and training. I have gained a wealth of experience in managing surgical emergencies and providing surgical backup in ICU, which has prepared me to handle any situation that may arise.

Theatre:

• First assistant in Valve surgery, CABG.
• First assistant in adult congenital surgery like PDA, ASD, VSD, total repair of Fallot Tetralogy, repair of incomplete and complete Atrioventricular septal defects.
• Heart exposure and cannulation.
• Harvesting conduits for CABG.
• Dealing with surgical emergencies and minors.

Ward:

• Conducting ward rounds regularly.
• Care for pre-op and postoperative patients.

ICU:

• Surgical backup in ICU (management of surgical problems).
• Reopening patients for bleeding.

OPT:

• Running out Patient Clinics regularly.

Theatre:

• First Assistant in Lobectomy, decotecation of the lung, pneumonectomy.
• Doing rib resection and pleura biopsy under supervision.
• Doing thoracotomy and close it alone.

Ward:

• Conducting ward rounds regularly.
• Care for pre and postoperative patients.

Theatre:

• First assistant in Valve surgery, CABG.
• First assistant in adult congenital surgery like PDA, ASD, VSD, total repair of Fallot Tetralogy, repair of incomplete and complete Atrioventricular septal defects.
• Heart exposure and cannulation.
• Harvesting conduits for CABG.
• Dealing with surgical emergencies and minors.

Ward:

• Conducting ward rounds regularly.
• Care for pre and postoperative patients.

ICU:

• Surgical backup in ICU (management of surgical problems).
• Reopening patients for bleeding.

OPT:

• Running out Patient Clinics regularly.

Theartre:

• Second assistant in valve surgery and CABG.
• Heart exposure and cannulation.
• Harvesting conduits for CABG.
• Conduction of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Ward:

• Conducting ward rounds regularly.
• Care for pre and postoperative patients.

ICU:

• Surgical backup in ICU (management of surgical problems).
• Working as an intensivist.

• Two-outpatient clinic.
• Two ward rounds
• Two emergency room shifts
• First assistant in general, vascular and plastic surgery operations
• Do minor and upper GIT procedure (As open cholecystectomy) under supervision.

• Conducted various common surgical procedures such as appendectomies, hemorrhoidectomies and inguinal hernia repairs to restore health in patients.
• Performed regular rounds to check on patients' following surgery, discuss patient condition and coordinate care.
• Reviewed test results and identified abnormal findings.
• Performed minor, outpatient surgical procedures.
• Operated on patients to correct deformities, repair injuries and prevent and treat diseases.
• Analyzed patients' medical histories, medication allergies, physical conditions and examination results to determine best procedure.