Seamus McHugh

Name: Dr. Seamus McHugh

Career stage: Registrar

Location: Dublin

Position: SHO A&E, Adelaide&Meath Hospital Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland

Medical Specialty: Surgery

What attracted you to this training program?

I’ve always found surgery more interesting than other medical fields. In it, I feel I have a greater opportunity to have a positive impact on patient’s lives than I would in any other speciality. It’s a challenging path, and one in which I will be constantly learning, which is important to me as an individual.

What do you enjoy the most about this training program?

As it is 2 years of basic surgical training I get to work in 4 different areas of surgery. Here in Ireland the 2 year scheme usually consists of 1 year General Surgery, 6 months of either A&E or Ortho, and 6 months of a speciality surgery, which for me will be Neurosurgery next year. This experience of working in several different fields means I can become a more rounded surgeon when I finish my training, with a broad basic knowledge. Also working in several surgical specialities during basic training aids you when you have to decide what branch of surgery to specialise in.

What are some of the challenges of being in your training program?

One of the biggest challenges are the working hours Surgical SHOs are expected to put in, often working over 80 hours a week. However this increases exposure to various surgical problems and operations which will ultimately make me a better doctor.

What are some of the things that you did to help you decide and plan your career to get into this training program?

My registrars when I was an intern were very helpful in aiding me as I prepared my CV. Also, as I had expressed an interest in research (which has the added bonus of being a positive thing on a CV), I was involved in several research projects which I was able to speak about during my interview.

What advice do you have for students interested in your training program?

If you are interested in surgery as a career, make sure you show an interest to your registrars and consultants in your surgical team. If you work hard for them and show genuine application to the job, your seniors will be happy to help you get onto surgical training schemes.

If you are not sure whether the BST is for you, speak to SHOs who are working it at the moment to get an idea what the jobs are like and what’s expected of you.

What do you do outside of medicine to relax?

It’s important to have a life outside of the hospital. Personally I’m very interested in music and am a singer in a band. I’m relatively sporty, and try to go jogging regularly as a way of keeping fit. I also have an interest in scuba diving.

Read more »

»Visit the Surgery specialty page