Cardiothoracic Surgery: Miss Georgia Layton
Summary
This on-demand teaching session dives into the competitive and rewarding specialty of cardio thoracic surgery. This session is presented by a cardiac surgery registrar in the East midlands and will cover topics such as the range of surgery this specialty offers, how competitive it is, and how to make a competitive application. George will also give useful tips on how to boost your portfolio, do successful research, present yourself well for interview, and focus on the criteria for scoring. This is of vital importance for medical professionals interested in this field, as this year is the last year to apply for ST3 in this specialty.
Learning objectives
Learning objectives for this teaching session:
- To explain the cardiothoracic surgery specialty, its academic foundation and the job of a plastic surgeon
- To describe the application process for cardiothoracic surgery and the differentiation from other specialties
- To highlight the benefits of cardiothoracic surgery and its application process
- To provide tips and advice on the ST3 & ST4 entry process, specializations and how to optimize a successful application
- To give information on how to best utilize your portfolio, academic record and interview skills to strengthen your application
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Computer generated transcript
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The following transcript was generated automatically from the content and has not been checked or corrected manually.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so next up, we've got a Mister George a latent. And who spoke to you? A worry about making a competitive application. So Georgia is a cardiothoracic straining. So she is going to give a talk on cardiothoracic swi cardio thoracic. And why should you caught a thrust? Excedrin, I'll hand over. Thank you, everyone. In the days of view you that I have not today only on my name structure. I'm currently a cardiac surgery Reg in the Eastern guns and know where I'm probably talking to a niche small number of you, but somebody who waas fully fledged general surgery. I had known my fact of masters it were, and then I and saw the light defected to college plastic surgery. Hopefully, some of you can convince if you're not completely settled, that perhaps body for six might be for you. And I'm gonna wait through what the job of a quite a plastic surgeon is about me on. But more importantly, why you should even care who I am and the training, preparation applications and tips on D. I'm very aware that we're not gonna have a huge amount time so I will pop into the middle chart later for any specific questions. Just put in that. So, um, cardiothoracic surgery encompasses four main specialties. An adult cardiac surgery. Congenital, which is now pediatrics and also encompasses congenital adult surgery, is quite a new specialty, because only with modern technology are people surviving congenital diseases into a little hurt. And thoracic surgery, which is any adult because our pediatric surgery colleagues tend to do anything, needs thoracic base on then transplant. So, generally speaking, a very academic specialty. Very evidence based, lots off trials, particularly in cardiac surgery on it is definitely high risk. High reward. So and things like this aortic pathology tend to come in often an extremist, often overnight as an emergency and very complex, very high risk and demanding surgery. But then the outcomes are excellent. It is very competitive and generally speaking, and I would say that is consistent from both when you're applying, say, Toe ST one so called training equivalent level or way up to consultancy and particularly in cardiac, more so than the ra sex. Not because one is easier than the other, but just because there are less consultant jobs available in cardiac surgery on. That's only at the moment that could, well change in future on. But it is a very small specially, which means it's a small world which is both a blessing under curse. Because, you know, if you progress well, that's great. It's easy to network. It's easy to get to know people if you have any difficulties, which will be seeing even the best candidates may. And there's no huge pool of people feature work for the future, and we have our national society. Which is this a CTS of society for cardiothoracic surgeons, a great Britain island. They have a lot of autonomy they still control or outcome. Reporting are education are training so more so than other specialties have sort of the central body controlling everything, which is generally a positive thing. And the range of surgery that we offer say we have everything from microvascular Korean Estimate sees all the way up to rigid bronchoscopy on be under scopic tumor resection. Still not me. I got to make something for everyone on, but I vividly remember saying to somebody I could never be a cardiac surgeon. I just don't have the patients to do micro vascular surgery and now call me Surgery is one of my absolute favorite things. So keep in April. Mind on the benefit as well is that we have lots of benign disease and form of coronary artery disease or valve disease, a way up to big chest wall. Penetrating lung cancer is so benign, malignant patients on. Generally speaking, we have accident patient outcomes, so and it's very rewarding. So who am I? Why you shouldn't be bothered? Well, you shouldn't really um, Nasty three Body process trainee in the East Midland's, however, and I was first person my family to graduate university in the first medical health care professional. When I was at university, my emphasis was on having a good time. Being so sure did sports on the spectrum of medical school, I was below average, So I was always in, you know, brilliant vessel, certainly below. That's out five and everyone I knew that want to do surgery, particularly something like neurosurgery or cardiac surgery. Waas. You know, getting published doing order. It's doing indications of medical That was not May, and so my understanding was that I wasn't going to be a surgeon. I went into F I. One had more full year on Back in the day when I did that 51, I had to reapply. Using my my one portfolio for my two jobs on did terribly. I think I got my 35th choice after I two job on very suddenly start on the stairs of my old house. My housemate upset that I got a job in general surgery and I remember saying all they're going to make me scrubbin I really don't want to. But then what happened? Waas. I went with an open mind. I have an outstanding, really accident supervisor who is basically pretty much the reason any other realizing that I could do surgery and I could be a surgeon and Onda So why you should care how I am? Well, you don't have to. Actually, I think I'm a really good at reps and teacher. Very average, very normal person on, I mean, especially that traditionally has been seeing. It's quite hard to access. Quite niche, not everyone, and actually, if I can do it, you absolutely can do it, too. So don't let don't let yourself limit you thinking what you can and can't do Do what you love and do what you want to do. So, um, products cutting plastic surgery assume it's more than just microvascular less stomach sees it is hard work. You do have to get published. You do. You have to do orders. You have to do everything that you think have to do. But you don't have to do it or you are successfully went dead. So don't get bogged down in getting your first or papers. Now focus on easy targets, which have been quite extensively we discussed today based on your person specifications. So ST Cody Prostate Society different Traditionally, you could get through school training or there. Now, this year is the last year you comply to ST three. So from now on, you're pretty much been agreeable to apply from last one, which means of playing at the same time you're thinking about called training, and what I would say I'll touch on in men actually is about ST 44 specific entry. So training, once you're in ST one is run through, so you don't have to re interview or anything again. You get your job on his own. If you meet your ercp criteria. You progress on the specializations are as we've just discussed. Definitely have to do. Decide Thoracic will call you back by the end of ST three. But if you're thinking of something like congenital within cardiac, that is a decision that you make at the investing sex. You do Just two years of asked me, seven or eight dispatch specifically in total. So, ST one theoretically can come three craft to you tend to just stick with the core trainees during ask you one last you till you get to the teaching and all the same, although it just very ever so slightly from across regions. The main risk is that you commit to early and actually didn't realize that you don't want to do it where you want to do something else. But that's okay. You always have options. And on down some areas day, for example, it must be one. I did a year of general surgery. I know some other areas. You only tend to do quite a thoracic surgery. All those directly relevant. If you have a look at the regional websites, they should give you an idea S t three. So this year is the last year there are gonna be numbers, or that's what they said. So how long that will last? You know, there is a very specific operative matrix and the time you spent in cardiothoracic sitter mins how many points you get for a number of procedures. There's a very big bottle that last year there were only two S T three numbers. This year they haven't announced Hominy. They'll be, but it's interstate it. They'll only be warm or two again. But there is a suggestion that from potentially next year there will be an ST four thoracic specific only entry quint. So basically, you can get your core competencies. And then as long as you are keen to perceive thoracic surgery well on cardiac surgery, you can enter later time. But that hasn't been confirmed yet. It is likely, though, that if you go through school training by the time you come out the other side, particularly if you're happy to just take a year out, then that will be a later time point. By the time it's gone through the training, um, ultimately it doesn't really matter. You get to the same point you become competent and training, and we'll have the same options. Good last time. So on So and they everything get too much. You gonna check holding the time, sec and application lies and application way. So you're taking all really but you know separately from core training. And the application is slightly different from others in that they're often ask you to sign that person statement about why you want to do cardio thoracic surgery, right? This early on, I have a few broccolis looked at and the interview. Of course, that moment interviews have been changing. Our virtual all over cloudy thoracic interview was very, very each very different from that of court training in many ways, particularly in that it had to skills stations you had, um, a simulated patient breaking new scenario. Whether or not that return to these I don't know if they do, is all about practice speaking to people who have previously been through the process because it is a quite specific, quite needs, but also, when they have that in person structure is very similar every year. So it's easier anticipate what they're going to form from you on recording interview prep very much the same as cool training. Start early, Treated like an exam. Get the Oliver Pee card I sc interview skills back. Every American mends research. What kind of things? Potentially going to come up and then practice with people who are going to critique you on day support. You improving? So my personal tips they are just my personal opinions. They're not. You know, evidence based would be that first ways to, um, boost your school are to fix on your portfolio on developing nor skills and a number of areas soon research order presentations and fix on your exams later. You only have to do that by the end of last E two. Fundamental. So you find someone who has been through it before, whether that be a registrar or somebody who he was coming in ST one who did it last year concave you inside information and beagle focused. So as I think everybody has said, look at their scoring criteria that very, very explicit on the cardiac process, self scoring criteria, what you score for, So if you're not going to get points, fret, don't waste your time with that. The moment treat every day like an interview, particularly in small specialties. But for everybody stashed a otherwise and everybody you meet or everybody that you come across could potentially be a future. Colleagues could potentially be someone who is schooling you an anti panel. So and make sure that always father in mind when you're working with anyone or you come across anyone a conference on be very expensive. So they afraid during any kind of general surgical rotation or any special mutation to state water is that you won't because as we progress through training program comes increasingly difficult to keep on track of what left to might need to get points on the court training educational. What a CT to needs to get points for ST three. So don't be afraid to say, you know, I need to get three more panics there so I can maximize my points on my core training application so that we call it You can have a school. You're meeting goal. And so this is the book I reference earlier. Read it once for Lay read a second time make urine examples specifically for cardiothoracic. So our society accent yes, on the associated educational subsets of that are brilliant loads and loads of fully from dead or really heavily subsidized industry sporting events. Definitely follow them on socials and look at the website. Find previous candidates. That's, um, what to expect and moving happy for people to contact me, and I can either help myself will put you in touch with somebody else on always just requested grilling before any kind of interview. And ask your consultants, your registrars, to be quite brutal to give you that one. It's opinion that that's the best way for you to improve. Um, now just about five minutes. So very quickly. What if you don't get a number? This is kind of going to be relevant. Everybody not just caught a Class six, but our spots. She has just been incredibly, incredibly difficult, Um, and high competitive. And so there are a number of people who are excellent candidate supply every year and don't get the outcome it they want. So don't leave this heart. And if it does happen, read your interview feet bug. And because they only into a small pool of people, generally speaking, the entry feedback from cardio Class six is really, really detailed, really helpful and take on board. Work on it. Look at the scoring criteria again. You know, if you aren't successful one year you have about six months. When you find out to the next round of applications what is feasible to achieve in that time, seek advise from colleagues and if you don't know where to start? Perhaps like I was in the position where I didn't have a single contact in cardiothoracic, so I didn't get the irritation I wanted with the n. And the easiest place to start is the cardiothoracic TPD training program director in your region, and they will be less did quite easy to find on the Internet. Make sure you don't get any, um, goals. So for example, ST one, you are ineligible to even apply if you have more than 18 months surgical experience or will do at the time of appointments so bad that in mind, when you're considering what you're gonna do and say a year out, and that doesn't include a formal left irritations just but deference on then the ST Three ST for skills may check, So the longer he's been in a specialty, more you have to achieve to get the same number of points on a Z. You progress outside of about two years. And so, actually it becomes always been achieved. Bullets, consultant level practice. So on Byetta in mind again, when you're choosing what you rotations, you might want to do, I'm doing afraid to try something new. So, for example, I did a year of medical education. Best job I ever did. It was brilliant. It therefore didn't time me out in regards to my skills. But it did. And it didn't give me a chance to enhance transferrable skills that I now use every day pretty much shape. Definitely consider it. And also because the number of people will just not be successful despite number of attempts. Um, applications. Don't forget that an anti and it's not the end of the world. There are other options, including Caesar on plenty of you. This you don't say our definitely feasible. And I think my biggest lessons having gone through everything is the uncertainty is good. So, you know, if you're not sure what you want to do, try a few things, try a few specialties and just gain experience here and take your time. They rubbing about rushing through just to beat the point system, and it doesn't matter when you decide to do it. Ultimately, I decided enough to to do surgery had nothing on my portfolio, and I certainly didn't follow a traditional schemer of how people usually enter the specialty on day just did what I want to do, what felt write a time and that so far things cost that you gave me. And there, you know it is for everyone. I, my family from working class background on first generation graduate medical, my family being committed, being determined. It's very important being an upstanding academic who has late of publications who interconnected you. Have a PhD. It's just no important at all. So just he may just better. And mine didn't try not to get the bone in the actually pretty of they have this many points. I only have this money. I wouldn't do it. Interview is so much more important than portfolio. I want you actually get through to the short lasting stage. So you think you listening any questions, please email. May gi dot later, and it just a nap. But otherwise tramp upon. Answer the questions on the metal page later. Great, Great. Thank you so much to order. That was that was excellent. And I think there's a couple of well, but would do just one question and then the rest. It could be on the chance and see someone posted about if you decided to do cardio thoracic straining it. And you did ask me one. And so could you then apply to in ST three in a different specialty? If you if you weren't getting on with, uh, cardiothoracic. So yeah, so from a point of view of your core competencies by the end of last e to ust to a r c E p is the equivalent to being signed off for core training. So from a point of your pure technical, um, I eligible, Yes, you can, in theory, apply for any STD three job. However, I mean said that you wouldn't necessarily have got their time and specialty of others fashion to be eligible to apply. So I know we touched them before. General said you you have to have been 12 minutes of general surgery, so it may be that you have to take a year out to get that time within a specialty. But you've already had your core competencies signed off before you Progress, if that makes sense. So yes. ST wanna see two is a criminal court training. But depending on the other specialty specific requirements, you may have to do a few extra bets to meet that. Specialties. I'm in pretty rasty three, but yeah, there's there's always an option if you change your mind. Great. Thank you dot That was really clear. Yeah, this so there's a few more masters, but I think you know Georgia, if you are able to jump on the chat, announced the missile old types of revised. Excellent. Thank you so much.