To reject trainee surgeon?

I think, really, this is stating facts not "being rude". It is not the answer you want but your previous comments do imply you think there is a level of entitlement to choice which there isn't, so it comes over as you making wrong assumptions. The issue of choosing not to have a particular doc because of some personal matter with them is different. In this case, you don't like the idea of this one, whom you haven't met, because you have the idea that they are inexperienced. The NHS can't work like that. They can't say "you get the big shot because you made a fuss". There is no room for that sense of entitlement. As others have said, you get that if you go private. Again, as others have said, you're not going to get some bumbling amateur. They chose this profession and this specialty and have worked hard for years to be able to care for patients.

Contrite!!!???
What are you on about?

Probably a young lad on work experience for the week.

The difference is that student midwives are students. Resident/SAS doctors are doctors. There’s no such thing as a student anaesthetist.

A trainee surgeon might be one operation away from being on their own.

A qualified surgeon might have been a trainee surgeon on their last operation.

if you want a better choice, pay for private.

I have read some of these replies and I’m not sure why it’s such a controversial topic. I’m a nurse & a midwife, when I was training to be a midwife I had to deliver 40 babies to qualify and people did and can decline a student. You are within your right to call the consultants secretary and not consent to a student. Yes you can’t pick your surgeon but you do have a say in regards to students. I’ve even seen student anaesthetic doctors get declined to do the procedure. The likely hood is this is a very highly trained doctor but if you are worried you should speak to them.

The consultants often don’t do the surgery, that’s the point you’re missing/refusing to accept. It’s not Grey’s Anatomy where all the senior people do every tiny little surgery.

Pay for it, if that's your requirements.
I've had eye surgery done by a "trainee." It's hardly a first year apprentice. It's a highly qualified person, who is knowledgeable and skilled. They are under the supervision of the senior surgeon.

Just be grateful that Bashar al-Assad won't be doing it.

He was an eye surgeon before going back to Syria to lead his family's frightful, repressive and corrupt regime.

I suspect you may get better treatment in a teaching environment - diligent students highly supervised by the best doctors, no slacking, no shortcuts.

A trainee surgeon will have completed their medical degree 5yrs+two yrs as a house officer and now be undertaking the specialist training, he will probably already be a registrar, so he's/she's probably at least 9 yrs into training towards becoming a consultant plus with a Sr Consultant overseeing them. I would allow it, two for one deal xx

Hi OP

ask them, ask their qualifications/what grade they are and when they last did the operation.

I do not blame you for wanting to be sure, they are our babies after all

My SIL is a “trainee” ophthalmologist. She becomes a consultant next year. She’s done many of these but is still considered “student” until she is a consultant.

I don’t blame you. I wouldn't either and I work for the NHS in a clinical role.

I don't think this is anything to do with women. It's about a male child in this instance.
If everyone tried to insist that they wanted a Consultant, there would be not more qualified Consultants in 20 years and then what would these people do?
In the NHS you won't get a choice as to whether you have a Consultant or a very experienced Ophthalmic Specialist performing the surgery. If you want to insist on a Consultant, you would need to pay them privately.

But if we were all selfish no-one would ever become a professional doctor or nurse. So it's a bit of tricky one to weigh up

My DC had a complicated nine hour operation when he was six months old. I don’t know who did it. I met with the anaesthetist and knew who was leading it, but I assume the lead surgeon who we entrusted with our son’s care might have used someone junior to him under his supervision as it’s an uncommon operation and would be good experience, but I 100% trusted our surgeon to make that decision. If you don’t, perhaps you need to find another surgeon (which might mean going private, I’m not sure how it works!).

I find it sad that so many women feel like they have to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, to the NHS in this case, in a way that I don't think men do.

If more of us were just disagreeable and advocated for our rights more, and unafraid of being seen as difficult, I think women would be in a better position in society today.

If this was in America I would guess it would be a 4th or 5th year resident who the surgeon has 100% faith in and the same applies to england. These doctors will spend hours and hours in a skills label, hours training and observing surgery and would have to be able to show they know that surgery from start to finish.

As a mum you are concerned for your child and rightly so, however the bottom line is you only want the surgeon with Mr in front of his name to do the surgery and that's fine as well. You are falling into the trap of arguing with everyone who disagrees with you or points out a wrong terminology that you have used. There comes a time when you need to stop arguing the toss and just ask for the less senior Dr to not operate and see what happens. Then you will have your answer.

It's the right approach, and is what a sensible person would do.

Sorry if this isn’t the case OP, but I think you may have the same misconception I had about hospitals until more recently than I care to admit. I thought you had surgeons, who did surgery, and other doctors who did the ward rounds and the clinics and stuff. (Please don’t roast me, NHS people, I had had very little contact with the inner workings of hospitals or need to use the NHS much at all prior to having my son in my mid 30s.) The ophthalmology and the surgery are not a different skillset, they are the same. So it’s not just, like, someone who’s doing hip replacements up the corridor popping in to do the eye surgery. Sorry if you knew this already, it’s just a thing I didn’t know because I don’t have any doctors in my friendship group and had never been to hospital before.

Did you mean to type Mr or is that a typo? Did you mean MA? I think requesting the best qualified person for the job is okay but requesting that person to only be male is actually quite offensive. There are plenty of excellent female doctors.

I’d be concerned too. But here’s the thing…. Your hubby probably didn’t take in or relay all the information. It’s not going to be an inexperienced student it will be someone experienced who is still working under supervision as the medical profession is highly regulated and cautious. There are always risks and it is scary but you can help allay your fears. So much can change between now and then. I would try and contact the consultants secretary and ask questions to allay fears .. you may get a return call if lucky. On the day they will go through everything and you will most likely meet the person doing the op. You can find out more then. If you have concerns you can refuse consent.

but be aware if you turn down the op on nhs you will go to the bottom of the pile and dads a long waiting list … when you get to the top of the list it will be the same again.

so I guess you either accept the offered option or go private. When going private it is often the same surgeons as on the nhs anyway.

beet of all is just go for it but find out more to allay your fears.

I had an nhs op just before Xmas last year during junior doctor strike and I was terrified. I need not have been … I was looked after sooo well and the op was a complete success.

OP, it's a perfectly valid question you're asking. I also find the responses interesting to read through. This user is just trolling you. Please ignore them, they want you to feel bad. Eventually if enough people flag comments like this hopefully the users leaving deliberately unkind comments to upset others will be banned.