Five ages of the surgeon!

1. The trainee wants to be a surgeon: enthusiasm and anxiety

IF ONLY I CAN DO IT!

2. The trainee succeeds; a surgeon is born: the adrenaline flows

I CAN DO IT!!

3. A few years on, ‘In my hands, success rate of 98%’. The confidence of the experienced surgeon; reluctance to let others do the job not so well:

ONLY I CAN DO IT

Many surgeons do not progress beyond this stage.

4. Then in time, a feeling that something more is needed:

IF ONLY I CAN DO IT . . .

then there is a problem when I’m gone. Perhaps somebody needs to train a few more surgeons . . .

5. At last the realisation that training is my responsibility. Seeing the need and being willing to train others.

IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!!

The surgeon is ‘born again’.

News and notices in Comm Eye Health Vol. 12 No. 30 1999 –

• Abstracts
• Indian supplement to the Journal
• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
• Community eye health courses 1999/2000
• Epidemiology research awards scheme
• Ophthalmologist required in Cameroon, Africa
• Community eye health workshops
• Five ages of the surgeon!