1. When you were at Brighton College, what did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?
I really didn’t know, and I think that might be a common affliction- I strongly believe that University should be an opportunity for young people to have the freedom to try new things and discover what excites them- there is too much emphasis on constant assignments which basically treat Undergraduate education as the next stage of school, and it should be something very different at an extremely important stage of a person’s life.
I think I wanted to be a musician, but knew it wasn’t the most secure job aspiration. I also had too much interest in science. Oh, and I probably wasn’t good enough!
2. What are you now you've grown up?
I’m an Orthopaedic Upper Limb Surgeon by day, but by night I’m lead singer and occasional trombonist with The Soul Doctors (a soul band)!- thereby casting doubt on the whole “grown up” thing!
3. What is your best memory of school?
The most powerful memory will always be the final rendition of “Jerusalem” in chapel on the last day- such a powerful song, with everyone in the school belting it out and emotions running high. I enjoyed the times I was in the form room in Hampden House messing around with those colleagues who were still happy to be young and silly. Being named captain of the school basketball team was also quite nice!
4. What was the best piece of advice you were given
Having arrived from the USA just before 4th form, I was being watched by Philip Robinson at trials in the cricket nets at the start of the summer term. I had only known baseball until then, so my first few attempts at bowling were not my finest moments on a sports pitch. Mr Robinson clapped his hand on my shoulder and said “You do play another sport, don’t you, Thomas?”
5. What do you do /did you do as a career
I studied medicine and after deciding against a career in Neurosurgery (despite having completed a BSc in Neuroscience- but all education is valuable!) I ended up as an Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in Upper Limb Surgery.
6. What does your job involve?
On a practical level, I divide my time between clinics and the operating theatre. Performing surgery is the main fun of the job, and the atmosphere in the theatre is usually very good, with excellent camaraderie and banter between the staff.
I consider myself very fortunate to be able to wake up every day with the intention of making other peoples lives better. That sounds a bit pretentious I know, but when you go through difficult times and getting up for another day at work is an effort, it is incredibly reassuring.
7. What are the most challenging parts of your job?
Time management- I find it very difficult not to take on too many projects, and end up struggling to do them justice due to lack of time.
Dealing with patients who have unrealistic expectations is also difficult. As a surgeon, the natural tendency is to say “yes, I can fix you” but that way lies disaster. Sometimes you have to be the strong one and say surgery is not an option when you know it’s not, even though you know that patient is likely to view you as a failure.
8. What have you done that you are most proud of
The obvious and clichéd answer would be to say my wife and children, but I’m afraid it’s the truth. I never understood that until I actually had children. I have three wonderful little people who make me proud on a daily basis. I regularly look at them and agree with Darwin- I’ve done my bit. All that’s left is to watch over them and do whatever I can to help them to be all they can be. As for my wife- I’m still working out why she married me- I spent the first few months as her boyfriend waiting for her to tell me she had only been with me for a bet. So I must have done something right for her to stick around!
If you are talking personal achievements, I am very proud to have gained the qualifications I have and reached the level in surgery I have, while still maintaining a relatively normal filled life. It is very easy to become obsessed with the medicine and lose track of things outside the job. I still play sport and exercise, play music and spend decent time with my children (although they will always want more!).
When a patient who has been in pain for a long time comes and says “Thank-you, I can sleep again for the first time in years” after surgery that I performed, it’s difficult not to be a little proud!
9. What is the single thing that would most improve the quality of your life?
More hours in the day! Sleep tends to be the thing to suffer when things get hectic, and I think we underestimate the deleterious effect that can have.
10. What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?
- A guitar - I might actually learn to play it properly.
- Can I have a Kindle? I could read for the rest of eternity, and there are so many books I haven’t had time to get to yet!
- A decent wine-making kit. A glass of wine by a the campfire, watching the stars is a fantastic way to spend an evening. I made wine at University, so hopefully I can keep a well-stocked cellar (although I’m not sure how coconut wine would taste!)
11. How would you like to be remembered?
Actually, I would just like to be remembered. I would like to think that those who knew me might tell others that they should have known me, and that those who hadn’t known me wished they had. Once, I wanted to have great strings of achievements to my name- prizes, awards, world-changing innovations. Although the idea of ceasing to exist and for the world to carry on as though I had never been here still disturbs me, I think I would be happy for others to wish they’d known me better.