In this Surgical Crossroads episode, the focus is on oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS), featuring Manchester-based guests Sajid Sainuddin, Mary Coleman, and Aysha Nijamudeen. Consultant Sajid shares his journey from dentistry in India to complex head and neck cancer reconstruction in the UK, highlighting the collaborative nature of lengthy surgical procedures. ST6 Mary reflects on her dual dental and medical training, balancing work and study across two countries before settling into specialist training in Manchester. Final-year medical student Aysha was inspired by her own orthognathic surgery and now works part-time in OMFS while pursuing her medical degree.
The panel underscores the demanding but rewarding dual-degree pathway, the specialty's diverse subspecialties, and the strong sense of community that sustains their passion and progress.
Hosted by Greg Ekatah, Sesi Hotonu and Sadie Khwaja produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd.
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Introduction to the topic and guests
[Greg Ekatah – Mary Coleman] Talk us through some of the pathways through which people can get into maxillofacial surgery as a career choice.
[GE – MC] What made you think to yourself, I am going to go around and do medicine again and then go through the five year or seven year training programme of Max Facs, what was your inspiration at the time?
[GE – MC] What were some of the challenges that you faced in terms of the process going from dentistry to medicine and then through that process?
[GE – MC] How competitive is applying for a post in OMFS? What are some of the key things that one should look out to make sure they have prior to doing that?
[GE – Aysha Nijamudeen] Anything to add to that in terms of the application process?
[GE – MC] How common is it to go out of programme for research and other out of programme experiences?
[GE – MC] Now you’re a registrar, you're coming towards the end of your training, what's life like on a day-to-day basis, week-to-week basis, on-call; what are some of the highlights of being an OMFS registrar?
[GE – MC] What's the one not so good thing about max facs surgery. And what is your favourite max facs operation?
[Sadie Khwaja – Sajid Sainuddin] Head neck surgeon for ENT obviously means head and neck surgery oncology. So how do we separate; or do we separate or are we all one? How would you define head and neck surgery surgeon in max facs?
[SK – SS] So Aysha's ready to start her training programme. How would you advise her considering she can go down an ENT [or any other] route. Why max facs at that point rather than ENT, if, say, she wants to be a head and neck surgeon?
[SK – SS] There is lots of sub specialty of max facs, and you did mention a few of them. But if we can just cover what that range is.
[SK – SS] Do you have paediatric or is paediatric separate?
[SK – SS] What's the day-to-day like for you? What's your week like?
[SK – SS] Let's just talk about your journey then. Where did it start?
[Sesi Hotonu – SS] Is there any funding available to trainees who want to get their other degree, either medicine or dentistry, or are most trainees self-funded?
[SK – SS] You know if you're going to spend that much money you want job at the end of it, don't you; but then also what's the competition like?
[SK – AN] I presume there's a max facs society? How are you promoting max facs?
[SH – AN] Hearing all these things that Mary and Sajid Sainuddin are saying does it make you more inspired or just more tired hearing about it?
[SH – AN] Can you take us through what led you to dentistry and then to medicine and then max facs? And also, if you wouldn't mind elaborating on the little bits of clinical experience you had between, that I think you alluded to before.
[SH – All] How do you keep up to date with your skills? You have both dental and medical skills and surgical skills to keep fresh… how do you keep all those balls in the air?
[SH – AN] If you don't mind me asking, do you have a family and how does that fit in with all of this? And with your medical school, are you self-funded? Or did you get funding from somewhere to help with this?
[SK – MC] I'm seeing more female max facs registrars; I don't know what the ratio is Mary, do you know?
[All] Summary: Nurturing community / family; max facs as an apprenticeship; different pathways – continuous learning; a rewarding specialty.
[SK – All] Why don’t you pick your favourite instrument?
