Training Positions

Position Description

The position offers excellent training in all aspects of breast disease management in a multidisciplinary environment and involve working closely with four specialist breast oncoplastic surgeons in a high volume public hospital unit as well as providing great research opportunities, assisting in private hospitals and the potential to be involved in Breast Screen assessment clinics. You will work alongside an international fellow and need to be able to work well with the training registrar and junior medical officers.

The BCI across the three teams typically manages upward of 400 new cancer / DCIS patients / year.

The operative experience will include a full range of breast surgical procedures for benign and malignant breast disease, including skin and nipple sparing mastectomies with immediate implant based reconstruction, skin reducing mastectomies with DTI or insertion of tissue expanders and simple mastectomy.

The majority of patients are managed via breast-conserving surgery. There is opportunity to learn skills in breast re-shaping operations such Benelli mammoplasty and therapeutic Wise pattern mammoplasty and volume replacement procedures such as LICAP flaps. Extensive experience will be gained in sentinel node biopsy including internal mammary node dissection, as well as axillary dissection. Other procedures in which the fellows will be able to gain experience in include; lipofilling and NAC reconstruction.

The fellow will have an opportunity to learn clinician lead ultrasound examination, VACB biopsies (if wanted) and to maintain skills in thyroid surgery and some general surgery.

The Fellow will be ‘first on call’ for general surgery typically no more than one night per week and up to 10 weekend days each year.

A standard week would involve 1-2 days of operating and 3 multidisciplinary team meeting clinics as well as 3 busy follow-up clinics and a benign breast disease clinic. There are weekly educational tumour board meetings as well as monthly audit meetings and surgical grand rounds.

The BCI has an active research program in many areas of patient care, and an extensive database is available for clinical research activities. The successful candidate will be provided with protected time for research purposes, with a realistic expectation that this will result in a publication and or a presentation at a major breast meeting.

Westmead Hospital