Aspiring medics at Moreton Hall in Oswestry took the opportunity to find out about the realities of working in the most challenging of surgical environments when sixth formers from the school’s Jenner Biomedical society joined Booka Bookshop readers to hear distinguished trauma surgeon, David Nott, talk about his highly acclaimed new book ‘War Doctor’.
For more than twenty-five years, David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his job as a general and vascular surgeon with the NHS to volunteer in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. In conversation with Moreton Hall’s Senior Sixth Form Tutor, Caroline Lang, David Nott told a sell-out Booka audience in the Wynnstay Hotel about his experiences from operating in Sarajevo under siege in 1993, through to clandestine hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, and talked about carrying out life-saving operations and field surgery in the most challenging conditions.
For Moreton Hall Head of Biology, Hannah Peel, “Listening to David Nott’s experiences in 27 different war zones was humbling and inspiring in equal measure and I was fascinated to learn how one doctor’s work has led to training of young surgeons in vital trauma surgery. By altering the way that casualties are stabilised in war zones doctors have been able to reduce mortality from 60% to less than 5% and the work of the David Nott Foundation will ensure that this vital training continues.
Aspiring dentist, Carys Pryce, said: “It really made me think what it must be like to return from such a hostile and pressurised environment and how challenging it must be to fit back into the relative normality of a London hospital.”
For Eliza Kiel hoping to embark on her medical training this September “The fast paced action of life as a surgeon on the front line was brought to life as David Nott recalled experiences from his work in many different war zones, but all told with the same incredible passion and determination. To think that one man has had such a massive impact on so many lives, and has also changed the future of trauma medicine dramatically, is amazing and has fuelled my excitement for what may be possible in the future”.