September 30, 2012 | 2 minute read
Its been a busy summer at the practice: several national and international plastic surgery meetings (ISAPS, BAAPS and others) followed by a seemingly endless stream of enquiries after the summer holidays! Being busy is a good problem to have, but I am always aware of ensuring that I am able to devote the right amount of time to every patient I see. In addition, it is important for me to achieve a balance between consulting with patients, operating and my CPD (continuing professional development). My CPD really is continuous – as well as speaking at and attending plastic surgery congresses, I regularly review plastic surgery articles for professional journals, I teach trainee plastic surgeons (which often keeps me on my toes academically!) both theoretically and in the operating theatre and I keep up to date on the latest developments by reading several relevant journals.
I am lucky to have such a fantastic job: I never know who is going to walk into my consulting room, and the breadth of people I meet is one of the great aspects of my work. It can also be challenging, as dealing with two people with similar desires or problems can be completely different, as each needs their consultation and surgery tailored to their needs, their personality and their expectations.
Life as a plastic surgeon is busy, but never boring!