Young surgeons honour for top trainer

A Sutton Coldfield surgeon has been awarded a top award for his training methods.

Foot and ankle specialist Mr Tarek El Gamal, who practices at Spire Little Aston Hospital, was voted Trainer of the Year by trainee surgeons throughout Warwickshire and Coventry.

Trainee surgeons spent time watching Mr El Gamal perform operations where he provided a ‘step-by-step’ description of what he was actually doing. This meant explaining what a surgeon would expect to encounter in certain operations and how to react if something out of the ordinary presented itself.

He explained: “Many operations are routine and go exactly to plan. However, sometimes a surgeon has to ‘think on their feet’ if things meet an unexpected obstacle.

“I hope that I showed trainees the right way to perform various procedures but also gave them the knowledge and confidence to deal with all types of surgical circumstances.

“I am very proud to have received this award, especially as it is voted on by the trainees themselves. Good training is essential if we are to keep up the high surgical standards that people expect and I am delighted to be involved in preparing the surgeons of the future to maintain such standards.”