An Interview with Karen Booth
17 November 2022
What has been your route into Cardiothoracic surgery and what led you to choose your specialty?
I came into cardiothoracic surgery by accident, I was offered a placement in Cardiothoracic surgery as a core surgical trainee for six months and once I started, I couldn’t leave! I didn’t look back from that moment, having never seen the specialty before I was truly hooked.
What is something that you’re passionate about and what keeps you motivated to pursue this?
I am passionate about improving the treatment and access to complex aortic disease for our patients. I really feel this is a treatment area underserved within our specialty and I love the long-term relationship you can develop with your aortic patients as you treat their whole aorta. It requires collaboration with vascular and interventional radiology, and I most enjoy the multi-disciplinary teamwork required.
What do you love the most about your job?
Serving patients as a team. There is nothing greater than the whole theatre team coming together, knowing how important an operation is to each and every patient and striving to do their best for them.
What are some of the challenges that you have encountered? How did you overcome them?
Cardiothoracic surgery is an incredibly challenging specialty to both train and practice in. It is a subject not spoken about enough. We experience patient deaths more than any other specialty and yet we are not trained to cope with the anguish this brings or the dysfunction you sometimes train and/or practice in.
It is important to be resilient in this specialty, you need to have a strong and stable home life with a support network who value your career and ambition. Ultimately in life all careers end and it is our friends and family who cherish us the most. Enjoy you work, do it to the best of your ability but remember what is important and do not get lost in the hype that is Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Do you have any role models? Why are they role models to you?
I have many role models I have worked with or admired over the years. My most cherished are my mentors and supporters who continue to keep in touch, keep me grounded and give me healthy discussion when challenges come my way. You are never alone in this specialty even though you practice independently it is really important to always double check your decisions and be open and honest so that the care you provide is of the highest quality to the patients you serve.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Spending time with my husband and children. We love to go on holiday together, spend time cooking and exercising and also supporting one another in our hobbies and interests.
What is your favourite quote/mantra in life?
I am in Competition with no one. I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone. I am simply trying to be better than the person I was yesterday.
What advice would you like to give (female) students/trainees?
Go for it! Don’t accept a life less than your male counterparts who all expect to have a career, family life and hobbies. Remember to take support, you will need it and in return this support onto others who come behind you.
What can we all be doing to encourage and support women in this field?
Be honest about our experiences, it is okay to talk about them. We can only learn from sharing our experiences and helping one another.
Ms Karen Booth
Consultant Cardiac and Transplant Surgeon at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
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