Hi everyone! I’m Amber, a current third year medical student and I’m running for the position of mentorship officer for next year’s Anaesthetics & IC Society. 

Having been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to shadow an anaesthetic mentor over the past few months has been a fantastic opportunity for me to gain a personal insight into the ever-changing, dynamic field of anaesthesia; which is sometimes difficult to fully appreciate from the limited insight gained from textbooks and lectures. Shadowing paediatric neurosurgery, practicing basic anaesthesia skills on patients and working on an anaesthetic research project has fostered my own excitement and commitment to a career in this speciality. 

As a result of the knowledge I have been fortunate to gain and the exposure I’ve had to the speciality, I believe it would be a huge privilege for me to be able to help coordinate the scheme for next year, and help inspire other medical students to pursue anaesthetics as a career with the prospect of building contacts and participating in research. 

What I believe I could bring to the scheme:

• I would like to increase the support to mentees, through the creation of semesterly in person sessions where they can learn basic skills regarding anaesthesia, the basics of surgery (how to scrub in, surgical etiquette), and how to begin the process of an audit or research . It may be daunting for students who have had no prior experience, and therefore hosting these sessions would allow them to feel more prepared and confident for when they are able to shadow their mentor in person.
• Increase accessibility and widen mentor recruitment. For mentors or mentees who may be too busy to host or attend clinics, I propose an online mentorship programme, where mentees can be matched with a mentor who does not have to be based in London; and instead this shadowing would consist more of online face-to-face guidance on how to pursue an anaesthesia/intensive care pathway, what the training pathway and portfolio entails, and also allow the mentee to network with surgeons outside of London; this would allow for a greater exposure to different surgical specialities and not limit the ease of mentors to sign up as location would not be a hindrance. 

Why me? 

• As an individual I am extremely patient, diligent and hard-working, and have had prior experience in using my time-management skills and adaptability to help lead on various projects. Having participated in various networking events, acting as a sponsorship coordinator for another society, and helping to organise hospital volunteering schemes,  I have built up a network of anaesthetic consultants who may potentially be interested in becoming mentors, which would allow more mentees to be partnered up for the experience. 
• The ability to work cohesively in a team whilst simultaneously taking on leadership roles within the operating theatre is an incredibly important skill to have; as such my roles participating as a St John Ambulance corporal and in advisory research groups has helped me develop my confidence when speaking to others in an empathetic manner and dealing in high pressure environments whilst working in a team towards a common goal. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto, and I would be honoured to help coordinate the mentorship scheme for next year. I understand the role is one of great responsibility, however I would do my utmost best in order to facilitate the smooth running of the scheme and help inspire other medical students to pursue a career in surgery.