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Hi I'm Finn and I am excited to be applying for the role of Specialty Representative on Cutting Edge. I am keen to run specialty focused events and promote student engagement in surgery, particularly in general surgery and orthopaedics, which are areas of personal interest.

I organised an online careers event in March on shoulder surgery featuring talks from a consultant, registrar, and core surgical trainee. This was delivered in collaboration with Cutting Edge, the Orthogeriatric Research Fund, where I work as Engagement Lead and Leeds Orthosoc, where I am on committee. Through these roles, I have developed strong organisational, networking and collaborative skills.

I am also a member of the student committee of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, where I have gained insight into national-level student engagement and built connections within general surgery. Using these connections, I organised a three-part colorectal surgery careers webinar series for ACPGBI titled "Meet the Colorectal Surgeon" and I would love to run similar events for Cutting Edge next year. In addition, I volunteered at ACPGBI’s widening participation event in collaboration with Cutting Edge.

Next year, I would organise collaborative teaching and careers events across a range of surgical specialties, alongside practical workshops for medical students interested in surgery. I would also like to develop Cutting Edge's widening participation initiatives to increase accessibility to surgical careers.

Thank you for reading and I hope you consider voting for me!

Hi my name's Emma and I'm currently in 4th year. I'd like to be your specialty representative for cardiothoracic surgery next year! I joined cutting edge last year and have been a quiet member since but I would like to represent my favourite surgical specialty.

I have enjoyed previous placements in thoracic surgery, and I am spending my 6 week elective this summer in cardiac surgery at LGI. I hope to make some connections there with surgeons who can give us some teaching to show off how cool cardiothoracics can be!

I hope to bring a specialty training pathway teaching series to cutting edge too. I think it's never too early to start preparing for the surgical field we want to pursuit and even a cardiothoracic centred teaching session could give valuable application process information to anyone in cutting edge. The process can look daunting for us students so I think some guidance whilst in medical school is extremely beneficial. I'd also like to run some interactive sessions (valve suturing etc) for people interested in the cardiothoracics to get stuck into.

On a wider scale, I have attended the society for cardiothoracic surgeons GB and ROI conference, alongside multiple teaching sessions ran by SCTS student education. Currently, I am also a member of the SCTS national student-led audit collaborative, where we are about to begin research for 2026/27.

I hope to shine a fun, exciting light on cardiothoracics and inspire my fellow members of cutting edge. Please consider me for your vote!

Hi my name is Shadan, I’m currently in 3rd year and I’d love to be one of your speciality reps! As someone who isn’t sure of which surgical speciality to do myself, I’m very enthusiastic about ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to try out the different specialties they’re interested in. I know how difficult it can be to choose one speciality; I often find I come to really enjoy whichever speciality I’m seeing at that time and so I know the importance of having that time to speak to the people in these careers to be able to gain the best insight and networking opportunities. I would prioritise your opinions on what you want to see and design speciality events that ensure fairness to you.

Having been on Paeds Soc this year and MSRC the 2 years prior, I really value the connections that are able to be made with other committees and I am enthusiastic about reaching out to other societies to collaborate for unique and exciting events.

Cutting Edge has run amazing surgical skills events and conferences throughout the years and I remember coming in as 1st or 2nd year and really valuing the broad yet in-depth insight it gave me on specialities - and this is what I’d want to do for you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my nomination and I’d really appreciate your vote,
Shadan :))

Hi I'm Marcus and I'd love to be part of Cutting Edge as a specialty representative. I am interested in plastics and reconstructive surgery and have been part of the committee of Leeds Plastics, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgical Society (LPRASS) the past year. I'd love to use that experience to create more opportunities for everyone to learn about plastics and help organize events to strengthen our CVs and portfolios together for anyone interested in plastics as well.

I have also shadowed a few plastics teams in the past, participated in conferences (like the BAPRAS one) and some as a presenter, and I'd love to share those experiences and work with all of you!

My plans include working with the skills officers to provide more unique workshops specific to plastics (e.g. hand surgery and flap workshops), as well as hold research groups where we can collectively contribute to research projects related to plastics, then submit to conferences and competitions as a team. I also look to create groups/ communities to keep us all updated on upcoming webinars, teaching series and events relating to plastics.

I hope you will vote for me!