Year 4 Student Doctor Natalie Limaye is celebrating coming first in the poster competition at this month’s Royal Society of Medicine's Future Orthopaedic Surgeon's Conference in London thanks to her RS3 project on Achilles Tendon ruptures.
Originally from Yarm, a small town in North Yorkshire, I grew up in the countryside. I always found Liverpool to be a vibrant city, with the culture and the people, and with some of the country’s leading tertiary services such as Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Walton Centre, I thought I would be able to thrive at medical school and fulfil my potentials.
Apart from always finding biology and the human body fascinating, I was drawn to the level of communication and teamworking involved in medicine.
I wanted to pursue a career which integrates my love for science and helping people, and at the same time be able to make a difference in the future by engaging in research and quality improvement projects.
From our very first few lectures about the musculoskeletal system, the mechanisms involved to enable our bodies to move and function, allowing us to carry out activities such as sport, fascinated me. This sparked an interest in Trauma & Orthopaedics and following my clinical placement during my third year, my fascination for the speciality solidified. The consultants during my placement allowed me to scrub into surgery and drill and screw into the bones, which was very exciting to get involved in.
I also opted to carry out my Research & Scholarship Project in Trauma & Orthopaedics last year and am very grateful to have been allocated Professor Lyndon Mason as my supervisor.
With Prof. Mason’s expert guidance, I was able to gain further knowledge about how research papers are written and presented, which inspired me to carry out and present more research in the future.
When I found out about the Future Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Conference, I submitted the abstract for my RS3 project on the ‘Mechanisms of Achilles Tendon Rupture in the Normal Population’ to the competition.
I am beyond grateful that the research I am so passionate about won first place at the conference in London. Through this experience I was not only able to display our poster but was also able to listen to insightful talks by orthopaedic pioneers and network with other like-minded individuals. I also received opportunities to attend workshops, where I was taught by orthopaedic surgeons how to insert lag screws and dynamic hip screws.
What would I say to students with similar interests? I would suggest getting involved with any opportunities that come - this includes being part of committees for societies and attending conferences. Have an open mind during clinical placements and enjoy every step of the way!
Being in fourth year, I am thoroughly looking forward to attending placement in a wide variety of specialties this year, in particular surgical specialties including Plastics, ENT and neurosurgery.
Moreover, I am very grateful to have been appointed as one of the University of Liverpool’s local representatives for the British Orthopaedic Medical Students Association (BOMSA) – a national organisation – and I am looking forward to working with the BOMSA team for the North West and organising events. I trust to keep working hard and hopefully see more success in the future!
Discover more
- An orthopaedics enthusiast yourself? Check out the Orthopaedics & Trauma Society for activities to help grow your expertise and network.
- BOMSA is a national, student-led network of aspiring orthopaedic surgeons. Take a look at the development opportunities on offer.
- Keep an eye on the weekly bulletin for news of upcoming conferences and see how the School can support you on Student Research.