Quality of medical education at The Walton Centre demonstrated by outstanding success in neurosurgical training posts
As the country's only specialist neurosciences Trust, The Walton Centre takes a leading role in the training and mentoring of the neurologists and neurosurgeons of the future. Getting into a neurosurgical training position for the eight-year journey to becoming a qualified neurosurgeon is ultra-competitive with between 15 and 25 applicants per place over the past few years.
A group of trainee surgeons already on the pathway at The Walton Centre have been working with those resident doctors about to apply for their own position and support them in their aspirations to join them as neurosurgeons.
Supported by consultant neurosurgeons Mr Nick Carleton-Bland, Mr Farouk Olubajo, and Professor Andrew Brodbelt, a programme of weekly online mock interviews for resident doctors in the Liverpool region, or affiliated with The Walton Centre were arranged and delivered, together with a formal, dedicated academic clinical fellow interview preparation, academic project proposal planning, CV review, and lab visits.
The programme was led and delivered by a group of doctors already on the training programme including Ahmad Ali, Lana Al-Nusair, Ali Bakhsh, Daoud Chaudhry, Anda Gherman, Feras Sharouf, and Sandhya Krishna.
Mr Nick Carleton-Bland, Consultant Neurosurgeon at The Walton Centre, and NHS England (Mersey) Training Programme Director in Neurosurgery, said, “This programme, delivered by five of our established neurosurgical trainees, demonstrates the commitment to education that we have here at The Walton Centre. As a leading hospital in neurosciences, we feel we have a responsibility to encourage prospective trainees in their career, and at the same time, demonstrate what a positive, supportive environment The Walton Centre is for resident doctors.
“It has now been confirmed that five of our resident doctors got a neurosurgical training position, out of just 24 available nationally which is fantastic news and shows the quality of the training here in Liverpool and shows what a great place it is to start your medical career if you're interested in neurosurgery.”
Dr Abigail Clynch, who was appointed as an academic clinical fellow in Neurosurgery at The Walton Centre, said, “I still can't believe it, it's my dream job! It's definitely been a long journey to get to this point, and so many people have given their time and support along the way, particularly the consultant and resident doctor team at The Walton Centre. Their encouragement and the new programme delivered to trainees, was invaluable. Liverpool has been an amazing place to start my medical career, and I'm so excited for what comes next here.”
Abigail is joined in her success by Basel Taweel (Leeds), Marwan Muneer (Hull/Sheffield), Natasha Aziz (Nottingham), and George Paul O'Bryne (Ireland).
Congratulations to them all!
If any medical students or resident doctors considering a career in neurosurgery would like to know more about this work, please contact either Mr Ahmad Ali or Mr Nick Carleton-Bland.