I qualified from the University of Nottingham Medical School in 2012 and had an interest in plastic surgery having undertaken my elective on the Lifeline Express Hospital Train in India. I subsequently completed an Academic Foundation Programme in Nottingham and Derby that included research in perioperative care and simulation in medical education. With very few Foundation Programme jobs including plastic surgery, my experience was limited to taster days in the specialty. I completed a plastic surgery themed Core Surgical Training in the North West working at University Hospital South Manchester, Royal Preston Hospital, and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, that included 18-months experience in plastic surgery and 6 months in breast surgery. Having worked with a number of supportive trainers, I was in a strong position to apply for a specialist training number and achieved this in 2016, choosing to stay in the North West region.

I enjoy the variety that the specialty has to offer, and developing the broad clinical and operative skills that are required of trainees in order to solve complex reconstructive problems. This includes operating on patients for cancer, trauma, and genetic conditions, in addition to aesthetic surgery. I have developed a clinical interest in oncoplastic head and neck and breast reconstruction, and have been involved in regional and national collaborative research.

I have since completed a post-graduate certificate in medical education, funded by Health Education North West, and have been elected to the BAPRAS Education Committee as a Trainee Representative. I am currently completing a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Strategic Health and Social Care at Manchester Metropolitan University with a view to developing the skills that will allow me to take on senior leadership roles and pursue my interests in healthcare innovation and commercial enterprise.

I try to balance my career with spending time with my partner, making the most of living in Manchester City Centre, and travelling to scuba-dive and ski.  

I am always willing to provide guidance for more junior or future trainees and like to connect on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/plasticsurguk/

Twitter: @PlasticSurgUK

Instagram: PlasticSurgUK

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/B_Baker