19 September 2025

The surgical student discusses her exciting new board role with KHP Academic Surgery, and the ‘infectious’ buzz of the operating theatre.

What is your role within King’s Health Partners?

I’m a year four MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) student at the GKT School of Medical Education, King’s College London. I’ve just been made one of the new student representatives joining the King’s Health Partners (KHP) Academic Surgery board.

My role will be to act as a voice for students: contributing to discussions on surgical education, promoting opportunities within the programme, and supporting events such as the Academic Surgical Grand Rounds.

I am excited to step into this role, having first been inspired to explore a surgical career by the incredible work of the KHP Academic Surgery team in years’ past.

Congratulations on your board role. What aspirations do you have for your time on the board?

Surgery can have a reputation for being hostile and difficult to break into, especially for women. This massively differs from my own experience, and I want to ensure that this remains the case for all aspiring surgeons.

There are two particular facets that I would like to focus on over the course of my time in this role to develop the skillset of fellow aspiring surgeons. The first is facilitating student involvement within the outstanding research happening at KHP sites. The second is to work alongside the KHP board to support students in developing the ‘soft-skills’ of surgical leadership that are so often overlooked while in medical school.

What inspired you to seek a career in surgery?  

I have enjoyed every specialty at medical school, but surgery stands out for its blend of anatomy, problem-solving, and practicality. The buzz of the operating theatre is, for want of a better word, infectious.

What are the benefits of studying within a partnership? 

There are so many benefits to studying within a partnership, from access to ground-breaking research to learning from world-class surgeons. What has stood out most to me, though, is the strong sense of community across sites. Having been placed at both King’s College Hospital NHS FT and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT, and involved in research teams at each, it truly amazes me how well-connected the staff are. It is genuinely uplifting to hear mentors at one site speak so highly of their colleagues at the other.

What would be your top tips for anyone wanting a surgical career? 

Don’t be afraid to try! Applying to surgery can sound incredibly intimidating at the beginning, with portfolios, logbooks and so many more hurdles. However, there are so many incredible surgical trainees at KHP sites that can support you in the process.

To learn more about King’s Health Partners Academic Surgery, visit the webpage here.