The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH) is home to the Birmingham Orthopaedic Training Programme, one of the largest orthopaedic training programmes in the UK. The programme comprises 40 trainees rotating through 12 hospitals across the West Midlands, developing their surgical skills in Orthopaedics.
We caught up with current BOTP trainee, Mr Sadeeq Azeez, and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Naeil Lotfi to understand more about the programme.
How does the BOTP stand out from other programmes?
Mr Lotfi explains: “When I was applying for ST3 Orthopaedic training one of my biggest motivations for putting Birmingham Central as my number 1 choice was the wealth of diversity of its population and the Orthopaedic services that the area offers. As BOTP trainees we are so lucky to have a number of incredible facilities on our doorstep including a world-renowned Orthopaedic Oncology unit, one of the largest Hand surgery units in Europe and one of the largest spinal surgery and trauma centres in the country all at ROH. The wealth of experience that we had access to in all of these centres, as well as the wider, highly experienced, high-volume surgical units in the region, meant we as trainees were never left wanting for access to the full breadth of orthopaedic surgical training.”
Mr Azeez adds: “In my opinion, the Birmingham Orthopaedic Training Programme is one of the best orthopaedic training programmes in the country. The programme features the Birmingham Orthopaedic Network (BON), a trainee-led collaboration aimed at enhancing orthopaedic training, research, and professional development. BON has been especially beneficial for me, as it helped me develop my research skills and contributed significantly to my overall growth.
“We also have regional teaching sessions based on the FRCS Orthopaedics curriculum, structured so that we can cover the entire curriculum twice before the exams. Additionally, we hold regular formal trainee forums where feedback is provided regarding each placement. The program directors are accessible and supportive, offering guidance and constructive feedback to all trainees. Moreover, Birmingham is a vibrant, multicultural city with plenty of activities to enjoy in the West Midlands during our free time.”
How was your experience with the mentorship part of the programme?
Mr Lotfi comments: “I personally found the mentorship scheme was a welcome addition to BOTP. I found the regular, informal meetings with my mentor Simon Hughes useful and cathartic. I think the main thing for me is having someone who can guide you during uncertain and often quite turbulent times in your career. The shared experiences that I found I had with my mentor made those particular challenges a bit easier to navigate.
“It was useful to talk about work and career concerns such as how to navigate fellowship applications and career networking, two things that I didn’t find easy at the time. The fact that these meetings were less formal, more flexible and centred around a 1-to-1 relationship between mentor and mentee, meant I could open up more about certain issues that perhaps I would find difficult to talk about with my trainers.”
Do you have a particular memory from the BOTP that sticks with you?
Mr Azeez, comments: “One particular moment that stands out for me is the open-door policy and the willingness of the Training Programme Directors (TPDs) to help. In my first job during the rotation, the nature of the rota at the hospital limited my exposure to trauma cases. I brought this to the attention of the TPD, who helped me secure a placement at another hospital with greater opportunities to develop my trauma surgery skills. I felt valued as my concerns were validated and addressed.”
Mr Lotfi adds: “One of my favourite memories is from when I was preparing to sit my FRCS exam. There’s nothing quite like having gait principles explained to you for the fifth time at 10 in the evening with pizza in the Knowledge Hub Seminar Room. The sense of comradery amongst my revision buddies knowing that we were all bringing something to the table and sharing our knowledge so that we could all jump over this hurdle together was pretty great. I’m forever grateful for them and the help they gave me.”
What advice would you give to someone considering applying to a specialist training programme?
Mr Azeez comments: “My advice to anyone applying for training in the region is to speak with current trainees about the merits and challenges of the programme. I also recommend visiting the area to experience its vibrancy firsthand. Academically, prospective trainees should focus on building a competitive portfolio and prepare for interviews well in advance by utilising all available resources.”
