Mahmoud, honorary clinical fellow (breast surgery), tells us his CUH story.
I am an honorary clinical fellow of breast surgery in the Cambridge breast unit. I joined CUH in October 2020 as part of my PhD training and research in breast reconstruction. My position here is jointly funded by the Egyptian and British governments and I was supervised by Mr Amit Agrawal, one of the most renowned oncoplastic breast surgeons in the UK.
Oncoplastic surgery is an approach for breast cancer patients that improves cosmetic outcomes and which aims to reduce scarring and preserve as much of the existing breast tissue as possible. One of the main reasons I came to CUH was to learn the concepts of oncoplastic breast surgical techniques. In particular the relatively contemporary partial breast reconstruction using chest wall perforator flaps (CWPF), a technique used in reconstructive surgery.
By the time you read this, I will be back in Egypt.
I have had an extraordinary experience at CUH, working with an amazing team of surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, breast care nurses and the admin team.
And I’ve not just gained surgical knowledge, but also learned various aspects of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) discussions, oncoplastic MDT tips, clinical skills, research and efficient time management.
A main objective of this fellowship was to transfer my experience and skills learned in the UK to my colleagues in my home institution in Egypt. One thing that has really stood out during my year at CUH is the specialist nurse role – something I will definitely look to introduce back in Egypt.
I have two messages for everyone in the CUH family and my family in the Cambridge breast unit:
- keep on delivering the exceptional level of care to your patients, and
- please stay committed to accepting international doctors to different specialties, because this has a significant effect on the quality of healthcare once they return to their home countries.
With this year now at an end, I find myself equipped with many take-home messages that will have a huge impact on patient care in my home country.
Finally, I can’t thank Mr Agrawal enough for his infinite support and educational supervision. With him I have found a true mentor and a great surgeon, who I will always be proud that I once worked with.