Author Archives: Vasudev Zaver

As the weather worsens and the winter is drawn out like an eternal chill through what felt like a never-ending January, I’ve found I have to be really inventive with what I do to feel good. The NHS this year has experienced one of the worst winters as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, whichContinue reading “Winter Precious”

There is only so much that you can do. There is only one place in which you can be physically be at any one time. Everybody is on the same big team with the same hopes, fears and insecurities. Smiling at people helps you both feel better. Thanking others also feels good. Make friends withContinue reading “Stoicism at Night”

It’s funny. No matter how much time off I’ve taken prior to my on-call shifts, as soon as I’m on the shop floor again, it feels like I’ve never been away. I wonder if you can relate? My recent set of weekday nights were nothing short of crazy throughout. They tended to commence with pandemoniumContinue reading “Surgical Nights: Burned Out?”

It’s that time of year again where doctors complete their applications on Oriel to embark upon the arduous process to get into surgical training. Applying to surgical training is arguably one of the toughest and most gruelling application processes on the spectra of medical careers. Not only does it require a clear demonstration of dedicationContinue reading “Applying to Core Surgical Training: My Experience”

Yesterday, I think I came across my favourite General Surgical operation yet. An open right hemicolectomy. I have had the pleasure of scrubbing into a variety of operations so far, however, it was the open right hemicolectomy yesterday that really made me think: “wow this is awesome”. It was just so visual; bowel was spillingContinue reading “What is a Right Hemicolectomy?”

At medical school, we were taught a lot about communication, to the point it almost felt like the course was a communication degree with a medicine module thrown in. We would have (at least) weekly sessions, particularly during the early years or “phase 1” where we learned the basic science and anatomy that underpins modernContinue reading “Why is Communication Important?”

It’s funny. You’d assume starting a training programme is when you’ve made it, when you feel like you’re getting somewhere. It’s that sign that you’ve achieved what you’ve intended to and are well and truly en route to reaching that consultant post in the specialty of your dreams. Rosy. I think the best way toContinue reading “Gaining Perspective”

So this week I experienced my first set of surgical on-calls of CT1. What better than to theme this week’s blog post on this quake-in-one’s-boots-worthy activity which invokes much chagrin in surgical trainees across the UK and perhaps even globally. To explain.. A Senior House Officer (SHO) (normally either a Foundation Year 2 doctor orContinue reading “Surgical On-Call”