Rafaela Maria Michailidou

I started my surgical career as a General Surgery Resident at the General Hospital of Kavala, in January 2020, working with a team of well-trained surgeons. Even though it was a rural hospital, the Surgery department was autonomous and it could compete with university – tertiary hospitals. The Surgical ward consisted of ~25 beds and the department was able to carry out both emergency/trauma and elective surgical procedures, excluding vascular and cardiothoracic cases which would be transferred to a tertiary referral hospital. As a resident I received a lot of training from the beginning, participating actively both in the OR and the ER. Taking into consideration the Covid19 pandemic, the scheduled surgical procedures were minimized, leaving only a few OR days for cancer patients and emergency cases. Since the director of the department specialized in breast surgery, I participated in a lot of mastectomies. Other elective surgical procedures were carried out such as colectomies, gastrectomies, laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies, thyroidectomies and hernia repairs (umbilical, inguinal, femoral).

After two years of training, I left the General Hospital of Kavala to continue my residency in General Surgery at the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis (2nd Department of General Surgery), where I remain until today. The hospital receives many patients with trauma as well as emergency cases, such as bowel obstruction, appendicitis, strangulated hernias, perianal abscesses/fistulas, gastrointestinal perforation and other acute abdomen cases. I continue to assist in several elective procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomies (mostly), inguinal hernias, colectomies, gastrectomies, thyroidectomies, haemorrhoidectomies and Whipple procedures. As a surgical resident, I am responsible for all surgical patients and their pre and post-operative healthcare on my service. I am also responsible for my fellow younger residents, the Residents’ week rotation of the Department and the functioning of everyday ward-posts, clinics and theatres under the supervision of the Consultants. I cooperate with other departments in the hospital that ask for consultation and I perform minor surgical procedures such as excision of cysts/skin lesions/lipomas/small tattoos, onychectomies and biopsies.

I am in the fourth year of residency and I’m interested in continuing my training in Ireland. My clinical interests include laparoscopic/robotic surgery, trauma/emergency, colorectal and reconstructive surgery.