One well known firm of lawyers, based in Merseyside, is helping the community to avoid being injured in a car accident.

Goodman’s Law is encouraging schools, community groups and businesses to get involved in a Road Safety Week which is being co-ordinated in the north-west by the road safety charity, Brake. The law firm have pledged their support to the campaign by offering their sponsorship.

The week, which runs from November 21st to 27th, aims to promote safety measures which will help prevent deaths and serious injuries on our roads. Hurrah, for once a team of respected lawyers who are not trying to cash in on personal injury, with the insurance companies taking a scoop of the gold too.

The main theme this year is Too Young to Die, highlighting that road crashes are the single biggest killer of young people. This is an excellent initiative and whilst not all personal injury is due to road accidents, the number of injuries on our crowded roads is alarming. Solicitors are not doctors, nor are they there to mop up the emotional fallout, but they can help with compensation. This isn’t about simply sitting on a pile of cash, whilst facing life with injury. If equipment such as a motorised wheelchair, hoists, special orthopaedic bedding or adapted bathroom or home is needed, it’s going to cost money. The equipment will also need to be maintained or renewed and especially so for a growing child.

Carol Hopwood, solicitor and director at Goodmans Law, comments: ‘We’re very proud to be backing Road Safety Week, which is a vital event that empowers communities to take action on road safety’.

Brake supports families whose lives are devastated by road death and injury; they understand the importance of highlighting the terrible effect road casualty can have.

Seeking compensation for such injury, somewhat surprisingly, is not always at the top of the list of priorities and is often not sought at all. After all, after someone has been through what may have been a fairly traumatic experience, possibly involving extensive vehicle repair, disfigurement, or loss of a job, they may not feel they can face yet more hassle in their lives. On top of that they may well be trying to adjust emotionally to a new situation. In more extreme cases, this may involve specialised equipment.

Yet a solicitor will help with an appropriate injury claim to secure compensation to help pay for extra costs. If you can prove that your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence or was a deliberate act, then seeking the advice of an experienced professional makes sense.

Goodmans Law very much hope Road Safety Week will cut down on personal injury claims from road accidents in the area.

Wellington House
4-6 St Johns Road
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Tel: 0151 257 6000
Fax: 0151 257 6001
Email: enquiry@goodmanslaw.co.uk

Clinical biochemistry, or clinical pathology as it was until recently known, is a rapidly expanding and extremely exciting area of medicine to work in. As the specialty at the forefront of the study of metabolism, the mapping of the human genome and the isolation of novel proteins has advanced the field of clinical biochemistry considerably, whilst also widening its scope. Training schemes in this specialty are now wider reaching than ever, often including metabolic medicine as a sub-specialism.

Training for a career in Clinical biochemistry has further been altered by the fact that it is no longer a speciality in which doctors spend their time exclusively on analytical, lab-based work, with research and teaching becoming increasingly important aspects of the role.

The Job

Whilst the main body of a clinical biochemist’s work is carrying out the complex analysis of patients’ samples as an aid to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, there are a wide range of duties attached to most posts.

Laboratory Based Work.

Clinical biochemists are generally tasked with determining the clinical direction of the laboratory. This includes the management of quality control issues and often extends to shaping the procedures for analytical services for the whole hospital. This also feeds into the research aspect of the role, as a lot of this research will be undertaken to determine whether the techniques being employed to measure the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests could be improved upon.

Whilst taking an overview of the labs practices and general quality control is, undoubtedly a huge part of the role, so to is the need to scrutinise samples, as well as specimens of body fluids and tissue. Though a lab will process around 1,000 samples a day using automated techniques, around 100 or so of these will return abnormal results and may require further investigation by a clinical biochemist.

Techniques used to carry out these analyses are varied, from spectrophotometry to electrophoresis. Sometimes this will involve working with other health professionals such as biomedical scientists, in order to, for example, detect changes in glucose levels for diabetes mellitus.

Clinical Work

Clinical responsibilities have, in addition to the traditional advisory aspect of the role, become a much larger part of the job. Duties often include outpatients work, normally in areas related to diabetes, endocrinology and disorders of calcium metabolism.

The job can also include working in nutritional support teams and can sometimes incorporate paediatric clinical work. You may, for instance, assist with the management of rare conditions such as porphyries or errors of metabolism.

Research

Research in this area can delve into anything, from the discovery of new proteins to the newest techniques of molecular biology. Not only do Clinical biochemists conduct research, they also devise projects which can be both basic and applied.

Research work will also break into other areas of the role’s remit, such as submitting funding bids, which may be supported by a research project, and contributing to the wider medical and scientific community by attending meetings and lectures.

Depending on the nature of the research, any given project may involve liaising with other professionals, such as clinical staff.

Teaching

Teaching is an obligation in most roles and will usually involve, as well as staff training, supervising MSc students and giving lectures to medical undergraduates.

Advantages of the Role

There are many advantages to choosing this speciality. For one thing there are many excellent registrar training schemes available, normally featuring two years of initial training, dedicated toward gaining experience in areas such as the laboratory and outpatients, a third year dedicated to a research project, then two more years of rotating in specialist labs. Overall the nature of the training paths is very flexible.

This flexibility is reflected in the job itself, which combines diverse aspects of lab, clinical and research work, the levels of which you can generally tailor to you liking.

The work-life balance of this career is also very reasonable compared with others. For example, on call work is not residential. However, should you decide this specialism is not for you, your training will provide opportunities for various secondments.

Finally, employment prospects have, in recent times been decent for those finishing training as clinical biochemists and, although circumstances can be hard to predict, this looks like it will continue to be the case.

This is the field of medicine that provides treatment in the form of surgery for diseases in the organs inside the chest (thorax). This includes diseases of the coronary arteries, heart valves, and congenital heart diseases. It also involves treatments for conditions, often malignant diseases, of the lungs, the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the esophagus.

There are three main specialties in the field of cardiothoracic surgery:

1. Cardiac This focuses on cardiac surgeries and inolves conditions such as coronary heart disease. Surgeries performed may include cardiothoracic heart valve replacements and the replacement of unhealthy arteries with arteries or veins from another part of the body.
2. Thoracic These are the surgeries involved with the lungs, chest wall, esophagus and diaphragm. Some typical surgeries are the removal of a diseased lung or a portion of the lung. Alobectomy is the removal of one lobe of the lung.
3. Congenital This is considered to be the most difficult of the cardiothoracic surgeries and is the surgical treatment of a defect of the heart that occurs in the body while the fetus is being formed. The patients are usually children or newborns with very complex heart defects.

Education and Training

Cardiothoracic surgery is one of the most difficult and taxing specialities for any doctor deciding to pursue a surgical career. Training as a cardiothoracic surgeon is ongoing, but to become fully certified and with good consultation abilities it can take over 15 years. Before anyone can begin specialized training, of course, they must attain a medical degree that includes the basics of general medicine and surgery.

This must be followed by several years of training to gain surgical qualification. These qualifications must come from an organization such as the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. This can take approximately four years.

To practice as a consultant, the surgical candidate must attain a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training, meaning they must complete study in a specialized area. This usually requires six more years. Many doctors choose orthopedics and their specialty.

The current job outlook for a career in respiratory medicine is excellent because this area of medicine involves many overlapping diseases and conditions.

Individuals interested in pursuing a career in respiratory medicine must follow some guidelines in order to gain a better understanding of this type of medical field.

The field of respiratory medicine needs caregivers with the following characteristics:

• good understanding of medicine
• compassion towards patients
• up to date on current respiratory diseases and conditions

There are several different career options:

• Technician
• Respiratory therapist
• Respiratory physician

Respiratory technicians help medical personnel perform tests in either a hospital or an outpatient clincial setting.

Individuals can attend schools to receive training in respiratory medicine. Technicians to use specialized equipment for patients with respiratory conditions like Cystic Fibrosis or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder.

Respiratory Therapists monitor pulmonary function testing on patients, operate ventilator systems and educate patients on respiratory care. In order to become a certified respiratory therapist, individuals have to:

• attend an accredited school for respiratory therapy-either two or 4 year degree(most employers will require a 4 year degree)
• encouraged to take the exam for a certificate in respiratory therapy(need this for a license in respiratory therapy)
• another exam-the registered respiratory therapist is required to practice respiratory therapy.

Respiratory Physicians treat patients with respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic cough, sleep medicine, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, etc. Most respiratory physicians work in the outpatient clinical setting. Respiratory physicians may also work in the hospitals engaging in surgical procedures as well as providing care to critical patients.

Educational requirements for Respiratory Physicians

• completion of a 5 year training program
• clinical hospital training in specialized procedures-anesthesia and bronchoscopy

Upper gastrointestinal surgery, commonly referred to as “upper GI surgery,” is surgery on the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Upper GI surgery can be open or laparoscopic.

Open surgery requires a large incision, generally enough to accommodate the surgeon’s hands. Laparoscopic, sometimes referred to as keyhole surgery, involves only small incisions in the abdomen, through which instruments can be inserted to view and treat affected areas.

What is it used for?

Upper GI surgery is used to treat a number of conditions affecting the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum area of the small intestine, diaphragm, gall bladder, liver, spleen and pancreas.

Conditions that can benefit from upper GI surgery include abdominal wall hernias, gallstones, diseases of the pancreas and liver, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dysphagia, oesophageal diseases and disorders, and post-hepatic (also called obstructive) jaundice.

Who performs it?

To perform upper GI surgery, a physician must be qualified as a surgeon with a specialisation in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Some upper gastrointestinal surgeons may specialise further, focusing specifically on oesophago-gastric or hepato-pancreatico-biliary disorders.

Oesophago-gastric disorders involve the oesophagus and stomach, and hepato-pancreatico-biliary disorders involve the liver, pancreas and billiary tract. Hepato-pancreatico-biliary specialization can be even further narrowed to allow a surgeon to specialize in liver disorders, including hepatic resection and transplantation.

How to become qualified

Training to become qualified to perform upper GI surgery is the same as training for any other surgical speciality. Physicians complete five years of general medical training then undertake a two-year foundation programme. Upon completing the foundation programme, which includes general surgical training, trainees take the MRCS (Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons) Examination.

After passing the MRCS, the trainee can apply for specialist training in upper gastrointestinal surgery.

When specialist training has been successfully completed, a surgeon may apply for a Certificate of Completion of Training, or CCT, and apply to join the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register. Doctors must be registered with the GMC to practice in the U.K.

This is the field of medicine that provides treatment in the form of surgery for diseases in the organs inside the chest (thorax). This includes diseases of the coronary arteries, heart valves, and congenital heart diseases. It also involves treatments for conditions, often malignant diseases, of the lungs, the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the esophagus.

There are three main specialties in the field of cardiothoracic surgery

1. Cardiac – This focuses on cardiac surgeries and inolves conditions such as coronary heart disease. Surgeries performed may include cardiothoracic heart valve replacements and the replacement of unhealthy arteries with arteries or veins from another part of the body.

2. Thoracic – These are the surgeries involved with the lungs, chest wall, esophagus and diaphragm. Some typical surgeries are the removal of a diseased lung or a portion of the lung. Alobectomy is the removal of one lobe of the lung.

3. Congenital – This is considered to be the most difficult of the cardiothoracic surgeries and is the surgical treatment of a defect of the heart that occurs in the body while the fetus is being formed. The patients are usually children or newborns with very complex heart defects.

Education and Training

Cardiothoracic surgery is one of the most difficult and taxing specialities for any doctor deciding to pursue a surgical career. Training as a cardiothoracic surgeon is ongoing, but to become fully certified and with good consultation abilities it can take over 15 years. Before anyone can begin specialized training, of course, they must attain a medical degree that includes the basics of general medicine and surgery.

This must be followed by several years of training to gain surgical qualification. These qualifications must come from an organization such as the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. This can take approximately four years.

To practice as a consultant, the surgical candidate must attain a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training, meaning they must complete study in a specialized area. This usually requires six more years. Many doctors choose orthopedics and their specialty.

Training as a Cardiac Surgeon

Training is generally considered to be ongoing, but becoming a full fledged cardiac surgeon with consulting capabilities can easily take over 15 years to accomplish.

The first step in becoming a cardiac surgeon is to train as a doctor. Before specialised training can even begin, a basic medical degree must be obtained including the principles of medicine and surgery.

Depending on the university attended, the title of the degree could be different, such as BM for Bachelor of Medicine or BS for Bachelor of Surgery, but the knowledge is basically the same. This step alone can typically take up to five years to complete.

Several years follow of further specialised training during which the aspiring surgeon must gain a specific surgical qualification. Examples include MRCS, Membership of The Royal College of Surgeons, which was previously titled FRCS, Fellowship of The Royal College of Surgeons. This process generally takes an additional four years.

Education is also required

A Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training is also required if the surgeon wishes to practise as a consultant. Some surgeons choose to specialise further in fields including ophthalmology and orthopaedics. These individuals can expect an additional six years of training to obtain their qualifications.

The letters following a surgeon’s name generally indicate the school that granted the qualification, and though some surgeons may have multiple qualifications, many choose to display only their highest instead of listing all of their lesser degrees.

Register and be approved

All surgeons who were trained overseas often display different letters following their name which indicate the institutions that granted their qualifications, though before practising in the UK they must be registered with the General Medical Council, an also prove they are capable and experienced enough to handle the work.

A neurosurgeon is a physician who specialises in surgeries of the nervous system, usually focusing on the brain. The career path to becoming a neurosurgeon can be a long but rewarding one. Below you will find the steps which must be undertaken to become a neurosurgeon.

First, you will need to obtain a medical degree and back it up with provisional registration from the General Medical Council. You will follow this by later applying for full registration. After this you will start your on the job training: each job you’ll have will be around 6 months in duration. You will train in a wide variety of medical areas for a total of two years.

Following that, you will apply for training posts. Training for a neurosurgeon in the UK normally lasts for about eight years, with the stages of training identified as ST1 through ST8. The usual time to sit for your specialty board exam in neurosurgery is upon completion of ST6. The MRCS examination will be taken every two or three years during training.

After you have passed the specialty board examination in neurosurgery, and you’ve been evaluated as able to complete training, you may begin applying for positions. The process of applying for positions involves having your name on the specialist register: this will allow you to apply for and secure a position in the field.

After you have applied for and been given a consultant job in neurosurgery, you will be a practising neurosurgeon. Even though you’ve completed neurosurgeon training at this point, it is expected that training will continue, in a less formal way, throughout your medical career.

A Clinical Fellow is a health professional at the doctoral level that has an interest in conducting research. A Clinical Fellow is hired for an agreed upon amount of time that can be renewable. They participate in laboratory research as well as clinical research based on protocols. A Clinical Fellowship provides experience in biomedical research for junior-level physicians.

Required Exams

The successful completion of the examination for the Diploma of Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom or MRCP is required.

Required Training

You must have gone through a period of research training and have finished or about to finish a higher degree. If you are a medical or dental candidate for a fellow, you should have completed the required training to receive a National Training Number or a Certificate of Specialist Training or the equivalent of one of these.

Veterinary candidates require a degree in veterinary medicine and must have some experience in clinical practice. They also must have already finished or about to complete a higher research degree, such as a PhD.

Clinical Psychologists must have an accredited Doctorate-level qualification in Clinical Psychology.

Qualification Process

For a clinical fellow of up to four years, you must have completed or almost completed your higher clinical training. You may not have taken a permanent position yet. If you still need a year or two to finish you clinical training, you can qualify for up to 5 years support. This must be made up of three years of research and two years of clinical training.

To apply, you should go through an eligible sponsoring institution either in the UK or in Ireland. The sponsor you choose must be employed by the academic institution at which you are applying for the fellow and must have tenure that covers the time period of the fellow.

A preliminary application is permitted before the deadline. If that is accepted, then you will submit a full application.

How Long Before you Qualify?

The review period of applications is generally not on a set schedule. However, if you are selected for an interview, you are normally notified two weeks prior.

The journey to become a physician starts in high school. Your education needs to be well rounded and you need have an excellent academic record. Show that you want to be in a service oriented career by doing community service work. Also, show your interest in medicine by volunteering at a hospital or doctor’s office or shadowing a doctor.

Next, you need a 4 year undergraduate degree. The major does not matter, but you are required to take a certain amount of science courses (biology, chemistry and physics), which may be outside of your degree program. Near the completion of your undergraduate degree, you need to take the MCAT exam. You should have started studying for this exam by your third year of undergraduate education.

To get into medical school, show that you are a leader and develop relationships that will give you good recommendations. The recommendations are required for your medical school application. The application is time-sensitive, so you need to be aware of the timeline for gathering all of your materials. Be prepared for several interviews at medical school as part of the application process.

Medical School is 4 years of coursework. After completing the 4 years, you need to get graduate education, called a residency program. Usually this lasts 3 to 7 years, depending on your chosen specialty. If you choose a subspecialty, then you may have 1 to 3 years of additional training.

After completing graduate education, you need to take several exams to obtain a license to practice medicine in your particular state.

If you are a physican who treats patients, your job is to examine patients, diagnose their problems, prescribe medication or therapy and give followup instructions. Some specialty physicians perform surgeries or other procedures.

Research physicians may or may not treat patients during their research study. They may also work in a lab testing equipment, medications or new procedures.