Anyone can be a surgeon, but it takes real talent to be a footballer

In January, Robin Paton’s book Anyone Can be a Surgeon, But it Takes Real Talent to be a Footballer was launched at an event in the College library. All proceeds from the sale of the book go to support the work of Surgeons’ Hall Museums. The book is a touching memoir that draws on themes of resilience, humour and healthcare, among many others. Chanté St Clair Inglis interviewed Robin about some of these inspiring themes.

Chanté: “Robin, you openly share the challenges of being left-handed during an era when this was often misunderstood and stigmatised. You attended a comprehensive school and did not have any medical connections. Despite these obstacles, you persevered and earned a place in medical school. What motivated you during those formative years, and how have these experiences shaped your perspective and approach throughout your career?”

Robin: “At school I was hit with a ruler by my primary teachers for being left-handed. It damaged my confidence, but it made me stubborn and strangely resilient. This resilience was tested when I was a trainee surgeon working long hours with little sleep. Later, my left-handedness became my ‘super-power’. I had been told early in my career that I could not be a surgeon if I continued to be left-handed. Therefore, I taught myself to be a predominately right-handed surgeon though, because I was ambidextrous, complex surgery was easier than if I had only one dominant hand. Keyhole surgery requires an ambidextrous approach, which was my forte.”

Chanté: “Your book is filled with humour and personal anecdotes. How important is humour in the high-stress environment of surgery, and how has it helped you connect with colleagues, patients and their families?”

Robin: “My parents and siblings were very outgoing and I was surrounded by humour. I was a bit of a diplomat in family rows and often humour can de-escalate arguments. Humour is gentle and inclusive it should never be demeaning, rude or inappropriate. Being able to laugh at situations or oneself can often help in coping with difficult situations. Also, humour can make the surgeon more human and approachable, and this is particularly true with children. Children are great levellers and are fun to be around and treat.”

Chanté: “Your decision to specialise in orthopaedic surgery, particularly children’s orthopaedics, seems to have been deeply influenced by personal experiences.”

Robin: “As a child I played with Lego and loved to build all types of structures. I think that my creative imagination was the fundamental reason why orthopaedics seemed a natural choice. When I was at medical school, there was a revolution in trauma orthopaedic techniques through the development of internal fixation for fractures with plates/screws, intra-medullary nails and external fixators. In elective surgery, there were pioneering developments, such as in total hip/knee replacements and arthroscopy. This was an exciting time for young surgeons, changing rather conservative traditional treatments to a more radical, technical and successful philosophical approach. 

“Children are not young adults – their bones are still growing, they have different anatomy, physiology and pathology. Some children may have complex, rare and even unique genetic conditions. This requires a different approach to that of the adult orthopaedic surgeon. There are the technical skills of surgery but the paediatric orthopaedic surgeon also requires knowledge of neurology, child development and genetics. This makes paediatric orthopaedics appealing, combining the skills of a diagnostician and the technical skills of a surgeon. There is a bit of the Sherlock Holmes in us. It is an endlessly fascinating specialty.”

Robin’s book is available to buy online for £10 from the RCSEd shop and the Surgeons’ Hall Museums’ shop (please scan the QR code).