Beyond the textbook: My transformative week at NDS

I arrived at the main entrance of the John Radcliffe Hospital for my first ever week of work experience, armed with a notebook and pen. By the end of the week, my notebook was overflowing with countless entries - some neat, some rather scribbly! My work experience at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS) was truly eye opening - I discovered that concrete answers can’t be found in a textbook; they are being researched, developed and questioned by individuals and teams who have devoted their lives to science.

Before arriving at NDS, I had been procrastinating. I wondered if I genuinely wanted to select a scientific career path and what areas of medicine I could specialise in, given its breadth. With both my parents being accountants, and having no medical contacts in my family, I often second guessed myself: 'Am I making the right decision?'. Whenever this happened, I remembered what had been motivating me for a long time. My grandma had relatively severe vascular dementia. This meant she often forgot what she had just eaten for breakfast but had vivid recollections of her childhood. Whenever I got the chance to visit her in Leicester, I always took my violin to play for her, which she enjoyed greatly. I found the numerous medical professionals that cared for my grandma truly inspirational.

Prior to my transformative experience at NDS, I had practically no knowledge of lab skills and techniques. I was very grateful to be given the opportunity to learn these on our very first day! On Monday afternoon, we were with Letizia Lo Faro and Jenny Collins in the NHSBT Blood Donor Centre, discussing why organ donation levels are so low, and how researchers, such as Letizia and Jenny, are trying to tackle this. The processes to deal with organs, to reduce the risk of rejection, surprised me but is understandable given how specific organs are to a patient. Being in the lab made me realise how ambidextrous one must be; grasping a Gilson pipette in one hand and unscrewing a bottle while trying not to drop it is rather challenging!

As well as being informative, sessions were also practical and hands on! On Wednesday afternoon, we had a talk with Thanos Karategos regarding Organox Metra (a liver perfusion machine) and the ELC-1 trial. This machine works by connecting a patient suffering from acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) to an external donor liver. This stabilises and helps the patient’s condition whilst they are awaiting a transplant. We simulated this setup using a grapefruit to represent the patient (whom we named Rosalina), red-coloured water for blood, and an orange slice for the external liver. The 'blood' was pushed through the system using a small pump. This meant there was a relatively high risk of the coloured water spraying everywhere and staining our clothes! This threat was increased when we attempted to dissect the grapefruit. We all tried to keep a safe distance, and luckily none of us got 'blood' on our clothes. Working in a group in this session, and others, highlighted the importance of collaboration, without which scientific research would be impossible.

There were two very impactful sessions that were the most memorable and insightful for me.

The first was our Global Surgery talk, on Tuesday, with Sarah Davidson. Sarah put science and medicine into perspective. She made us realise that things we take for granted in the UK, such as electricity, water and reliable transport, are not the norm in other countries. I found 'frugal innovation' revolutionary. It uses lower cost alternatives for medical devices that would otherwise be too expensive in lower income countries. A striking example was Bangladeshi doctors using betel leaves in lieu of stoma bags. I believe that we could, and perhaps should, take inspiration from these countries, as they successfully use cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternatives!

Secondly was my time with Ms Mei Nortley at the Vascular Surgery Clinic. Observing her professionalism on Wednesday morning was a privilege I will not forget. She was very approachable and answered all my queries. I gained copious amounts of knowledge - from the coronal, sagittal and axial views of an MRI and CT scan to the causes of knee fractures. Most importantly, my time with Ms Nortley emphasised how, behind every case, there is a person with a life and family. Ms Nortley was considerate and welcoming. I do hope our paths cross again in the future!

Another interesting discussion that unfolded in many of the talks was the importance of AI in the future of medicine and scientific development.

My time at the NDS was a steep learning curve. I will be taking away numerous valuable insights and experiences. 'Surgery is not just about what happens in the operation theatre.' This evocative quote from Sarah Davidson’s Global Surgery talk neatly summarises how this week has broadened my outlook.

Now when I ask myself the question 'Am I making the right decision?', the answer is a lot clearer as I appreciate the diverse range of career paths that are open. This has given me the confidence to pursue my dream career in this field.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to the team who took the time to organise this amazing experience, especially Louise King, who helped to settle our initial nerves. Louise always wore a warm smile and was very patient. I appreciate the time she took to walk us to every session - given the size of the hospitals, we would have definitely got lost if left to our own devices! Session leaders were engaging, fun and captivating. I am greatly indebted to everyone involved.

Overall, my week of work experience at the NDS was incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. I gained a real insight into scientific research, learned far more than I expected, and had the opportunity to meet inspiring people who were generous with their time and knowledge. While I’m leaving with plenty of new skills - and a notebook brimming with ideas - I’m also leaving with some amazing contacts and friends.

Thank you to everyone at the NDS for making the week so unforgettable!