To reject trainee surgeon?

[RunningThroughMyHead]

My young child is on the wait list for eye surgery. It’s a complex surgery with risks of blindness or other permanent eye issues if not done correctly. These risks have been explained to us but the benefits outweigh the risks.

My husband took him to the last appointment and the surgeon explained that a student surgeon may undertake all or part of the surgery under his supervision. My husband nodded along as far as I can tell.

Whilst I fully understand that healthcare professionals need to practice, perhaps selfishly, I don’t want my son practiced on. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened and I want someone well experienced to do the full surgery.

AIBU to request/insist on this?

My son had complex facial surgery as a baby, it was carried out predominantly by a senior registrar with close supervision by a consultant - I didn't bat an eyelid at this. She did a fantastic job and how else is she meant to learn - by carrying it out for the first time on day one as a consultant with zero supervision? That would absolutely not be safe! YABU.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius The OP being less anxious is not going to save her son's sight- you sound a bit patronising TBH.

It's not an op like having an appendix out where the worst scenario might be a big scar, or operating on a fracture.

This is clearly very delicate micro-surgery.

Just because you had a good outcome does not mean it's always the case.
Surely that's obvious?

The fact you didn't bat an eyelid is neither here nor there.
Maybe that was your personality or the fact you didn't register 'risk'.

It's not really relevant to the OP.

If you read the consent form for any operation, they always give you the worst case scenario.
Death is the worst case scenario for any operation, but you still sign the consent form don't you?
Want to find out if you're allergic to anaesthetic agent - have an operation! Not the best way to find out, but usually the only way

I agree with you, for something so important as your child's sight.
I expect some on here will go into a frenzy demanding the NHS rookies get hands on practice 🤣

The rudeness on this thread to a concerned mother is absolutely mind blowing.

I also find it quite sinister looking at a few of the other posts at the bullying, ridiculing tone used. In my experience, it is very representative of the way we are conditioned to accept medical decisions made on our behalf and not question anything.

It may well be the case, that there is absolutely nothing to worry about, but this is absolutely a legitimate thing to want to discuss.

If the status of the surgeon’s experience is completely irrelevant, and no business of the patient’s parents, why was it even mentioned in the meeting?

An ophthalmologist is an eye surgeon

Then how will the student ever progress?

That was absolutely NOT my intention, @snappyshopper. It was an attempt to reassure her and to be helpful.

By operating on people who are happy to consent to them doing so.

Any given individual must have the right to say they don't want it to be them, or their child, who gets practised on, though. Mistakes do get made, and statistically I'd have thought the likelihood would surely be a bit higher with trainees, so I feel it's very important that people have the right to refuse.

I’m guessing this procedure will need 2 stage consent, so you’ll have the opportunity to discuss it before it happens. My DD has needed repeated surgery on her ear, we have a good relationship with her consultant following years of hospital care and I’d feel unsettled if someone else did her surgery, for no reason other than I didn’t know them or their standard of care. I don’t think you’re unreasonable having concerns.

I hope you’re able to get some reassurance.

OP I think you have a very valid concern about the trainee surgeon. The rate and quality of success of medical operations is hugely influenced by the degree of experience a surgeon has in that particular surgery. It is completely valid to be concerned about having a surgeon, however highly qualified and experienced they are as a doctor, who has not performed many of the operations you (or your DC) are undergoing.

I'm surprised at the ignorance displayed on this thread about how acute the impact of experience in a particular operation is. Complex eye surgery more so than most. One thing to remember is that if your consultant is overseeing a trainee, they are likely one of the more experienced surgeons for this type of operation. Trainee surgeons who are being closely supervised normally have comparable outcomes to the experienced surgeons.

I agree with the posters that suggest you call the surgeon's office to talk about this. Ask about the experience of the trainee, which bits of the surgery they will be doing and to what extent the consultant will be overseeing them.

It’s ok to want a surgeon to do this who is experienced in this particular surgical procedure rather than someone who is training. You can request that, and you also have the option of having it done privately in which case you can choose your surgeon.

My mother had eye surgery recently and I found one the most highly respected and most experienced eye surgeons. He was amazing.

It’s important that you have complete confidence in your surgeon.

Most junior doctors are known as trainees - it doesn’t mean they’re not qualified. It means they’re not a consultant yet, but they could still have years of experience.

It’s also likely they’ll be supervised by a consultant anyway.

Yabu and ridiculous. They have years of training and supervision. How do you expect them
to learn?

This is slightly different but in various situations including intimate examinations, patients are sometimes asked if they are happy with student drs (or whatever level they are at) watching.

You have a right to refuse.

YABU.

This isn't a first year med student being let loose with a scalpel for the first time, it's going to be a highly trained junior surgeon/ registrar under the close supervision of a consultant.

Presumably you do not have a child where the outcome if a mistake was made would be blindness?

How do you know that? Are you guessing?

The sheer fact the snr consultant needs to tell the parents shows it is relevant.

Otherwise, why would it be mentioned to them?

Eye surgeon's are ophthalmologist. But ophthalmologists are not necessarily eye surgeons.

But that could happen with a consultant. They are not infallible.

I get that was just trying to help her anxiety

It's about risks.

You are being a bit dim if you can't understand the risk is higher with a trainee.

No they are not guessing. That's how it works in hospitals, it will not be a medical student