Olimpia Zagnat/BBCElena Theophilidou is a surgeon at one of the most busiest main trauma devices in EnglandGrowing up in Cyprus, Elena felt she was once other to different ladies – she preferred maths, biology, and most popular dressed in trousers moderately than skirts.But it surely was once a circle of relatives tragedy which assisted in shaping her decision to review medication.”My folks misplaced their first kid as a result of he had Down’s syndrome, so he died when he was once about 4 years outdated,” she says. “And I suppose that is at all times been enjoying on my thoughts.”Now a specialist surgeon at one of the most busiest main trauma devices in England, Elena Theophilidou has spoken of her a success occupation, in addition to the demanding situations she has confronted as a feminine physician – together with on occasion having to remind sufferers that “I’m the surgeon”.’Tricky years'”I believe the primary time I carried a bag with me was once when I used to be 20, once I if truth be told got here to school,” says Elena with a snicker.”I wasn’t your conventional woman, as you could believe them to be.”Biology simply “made sense”, and maths was once one thing she was once just right at. However Elena began questioning “what am I going to do with numbers?”She says that, even if it appears like a cliché, the considered with the ability to assist others led her to picking medication.”I nonetheless do not recall to mind it as a nine-to-five activity. As a result of it’s not in reality. As a specialist, I have by no means concept, ‘cannot be with paintings these days’,” she says.She grew up in a Greek circle of relatives, by which the dying of her brother was once one thing they by no means mentioned “broadly”.”I form of grew up with it as a result of he died earlier than I used to be born, so I by no means met him,” she says. “But it surely was once at all times one thing that was once within the background.”It was once somewhat devastating for my folks. However I believe possibly that brought on the theory of medication.”
Olimpia Zagnat/BBCElena’s division treats sufferers who’ve been injured in stabbings, crashes or main incidentsElena’s trail to turning into a surgeon in an emergency division was once no longer a very easy one.As an adolescent, she set her attractions on learning medication in the United Kingdom.”I needed to do [the A-levels] in my very own spare time, and clearly coming from a international nation to the United Kingdom, you needed to have best marks to also be regarded as for medication,” she says.”So it was once a tricky 4 or 5 years earlier than even coming to clinical college.”Elderly 18, she moved to London and started learning to be a physician. Ultimately, got here the chance to specialize in surgical procedure.”Sadly, my surgical placements have been all with, let’s consider, college surgeons who would have other mentalities to what we now have these days,” she says.She says she confronted “unprofessional behaviours, with regards to bullying and poisonous environments”.”I suppose we are somewhat fortunate this present day that issues have modified with regards to skilled touch and the way other people will have to be behaving, and particularly with regards to treating sufferers and associates,” she says.”I do know I have had a large number of difficulties that most certainly if I wasn’t a lady I would not have had, and I am positive somewhat a large number of trainees, particularly feminine trainees, would trust this commentary.”Elena, then again, has prime reward for her colleagues on the Queen’s Scientific Centre in Nottingham.”We’re somewhat fortunate within the East Midlands as a result of we’re one of the most deaneries that experience somewhat a large number of feminine trainees, and particularly feminine specialists in surgical procedure, who I have had as function fashions,” she says.’Grown-up guy’ stereotypeElena’s primary activity is operating with the key trauma workforce, however may be concerned with the workforce that offers with sufferers that experience acute surgical problems.”When you find yourself a specialist, you could have a place of duty with regards to no longer handiest against your affected person, but in addition against the workforce that you’ve with you,” she says.Elena says she hasn’t ever skilled misogyny from sufferers – however admits she on occasion has to “remind them that I’m the surgeon”.”On occasion they do not see me as a surgeon strolling into the room. In order that’s one thing that I have skilled somewhat early on,” she says.”I believe other people have a stereotypical symbol of surgeons of their head. It is extra like a ‘grown-up guy’ who walks into the room.”I have by no means skilled misogyny, however possibly simply having to remind other people every so often that I carry out their operation.” However issues and instances are converting in medication, says Elena, and “extra schooling is available in the market”.”Within the remaining yr, I have had a few feminine clinical scholars coming to me and say ‘oh, I did not know it’s worthwhile to be a feminine guide surgeon’,” she says.However Elena says it’s important for younger scholars to look ladies who took surgical procedure on as a occupation, and have a look at them as function fashions.
Olimpia Zagnat/BBCElena hopes her tale will encourage different younger ladies who need to turn out to be docs or surgeonsElena does no longer shy clear of the truth that being a lady has on occasion felt like an obstacle.As a teen in Cyprus, she says she would listen words like “oh you are a girl, in the event you turn out to be a surgeon or a physician you will not have time in your circle of relatives, you will not have a circle of relatives”.”The ones concepts are in the back of your head. But when that is what you wish to have to do, you simply move forward and do it,” she says.”In finding what you’re keen on doing day after day, as a result of your occupation is a very long time, and it takes so much – most certainly like 20, 30 years of your lifestyles. So you must do what you experience after which simply opt for it.”
