Another great talk from our series: Step into a Surgeon’s shoes! The last Surgery Saturday by Surgery Interest group (SIG) was indeed a success, with four panelists from different fields of surgery talking about their experiences down the surgical path, and answering questions from enthusiastic medical students. Dr Ather Enam shed light on neurosurgery, Dr Akbar Abbas, on otolaryngology, Dr Haroon Tayyab, on ophthalmology, Dr Fazl ur Rahman, on plastic surgery, all the while encour

And what motivated them to pursue surgery? Varied responses can from the participants, with Dr Ather talking about his perceptions of the life of a neurosurgeon, to Dr Fazl ur Rahman mentioning his inspiration, his mother, who was a surgeon herself, as his motivation, to Dr Haroon Tayyab’s love of ophthalmology. Dr Akbar Abbas mentioned how he loved working with his hands, and initially wanted to pursue orthopedics, but developed a passion for otolaryngology along the course of his journey.

The panelists were then asked if surgery had indeed offered everything they wanted back when they were in medical school. Panelists agreed that indeed, it had turned out to be exactly as they had hoped. Dr Haroon mentioned that learning from his mentor, and following his schedule, helped him visualize the routine an ophthalmologist follows, and his career is very similar to this routine. Dr Ather mentioned how he didn’t have many expectations about training in neurosurgery, and made his foundations with the help of his team members, who taught him from scratch.


Research is an important aspect of surgical practice, and panelists were asked how they managed research alongside the demands of a surgery. A team, they agreed, was needed to conduct research effectively. Networking helped gather that team; an effective team included others from the same field, enthusiastic residents and medical students, and a great leader. To lead the team effectively also meant encouraging them along the way. Such a collaboration made it easy to strike a balance between surgical practice and research work.


Surgical residency training is a challenging experience and medical students often have questions about it. The panelists explained their own paths and gave advice. Starting surgical training early was important according to Dr Fazal ur Rahman, as one is more energetic at the start of their career. With regards to the challenges faced in residencies, Dr Haroon mentioned his challenges pursuing ophthalmology, it being a difficult field of International Medical Graduates to enter and work in. However, he persevered despite the odds.


A question on many medical students’ minds is: Is there a specific skill-set required for each surgical speciality? Panelists unanimously agreed that there is no specific skill-set for any field. As long as one has the basics- good motor skills, good eyesight- they  can excel in every field. As long as one has basic skills, they can be polished further, as stated by Dr Ather; Soft skills also play a part, such as teamwork for research. 


Stepping into a surgeon’s shoes was truly a chance to see the life of surgeons through their own eyes. This talk was a great encouragement to medical students, aspiring surgeons, in not only understanding the different specialities of surgery, but also the different lifestyles and careers in surgery. It also motivated medical students who are not yet decided about their future to consider surgery as a career. Indeed, another excellent Surgery Saturday has been delivered.