A local doctor is helping to educate the next generation of surgeons after being appointed to lead a regional training programme.
Doctor Talvinder Gill has worked as a surgeon at the University Hospital of North Tees since 2007, performing expert surgical upper gastro, colorectal and hepatobiliary procedures.
Appointment
Having trained and mentored surgical trainees for several years, Talvinder has now been appointed as training programme director in northern region and Cumbria for Heath Education North East.
During his five-year term, Talvinder will co-ordinate the training and development of more than 70 registrar doctors every year, providing them with education in the most modern techniques including robotic-assisted surgery.
Talvinder said: “My role is to teach these doctors, who are on the path to becoming consultants, everything I know about surgery.
“They will be performing operations under supervision and I will be co-ordinating with local trusts to establish placements so they have every opportunity to learn and develop. I’ll also be involved in assessing them, making sure each one is ready to take the next step on their journey.
“Each trainee will spend four years in general surgery before specialising. It’s an excellent training programme and one I hope I can develop and improve even further.”
Talvinder will continue with his frontline patient care work and perform surgical procedures while fulfilling his programme director role.
Walking
A keen walker, Talvinder, along with other doctors and dentists, recently raised £15,00 for the Doctors in Distress charity and a further £14,000 for diabetes research after reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya.
Outside of work, Talvinder, 57, who lives in Stockton, enjoys badminton and spending time with his wife and three daughters, two of whom are currently studying medicine.