A podcast series by Women in ENT Surgery UK. WENTS & Friends is about stimulating discussions that revolve around diversity and inclusivity with a view to learning more about the traits that make us unique. Through dialogue, we celebrate the experiences of all peoples within and beyond medicine, with a view to fostering better understanding of our individual journeys and fellowship in our commonalities. Hopefully, leading to a more equitable and thriving healthcare space. WENTS & Friends ...come join us!
Less Than Full Time, More Than Possible: Insights into Flexible Training
Send us a text In this episode of Wents and Friends, host Alex Ashman is joined by ENT trainee Mairead Kelly to discuss the practicalities, benefits, and challenges of Less Than Full-Time (LTFT) training in the NHS. Drawing on their personal experiences, the conversation explores how LTFT supports workforce diversity, well-being, and retention, enabling doctors with varying responsibilities, from childcare to personal health, to continue training effectively. Mairead reflects on the adm...
16 Oct 2025
Realities of Fellowships: UK and Overseas Perspectives
Send us a text This episode of WENTS and Friends explores and discusses the lived realities of surgical fellowships, featuring open conversations with Ms Summy Bola and Ms Elinor Warner. Together, they share personal stories, practical advice, and honest perspectives on what it truly means to navigate a high-level fellowship balancing intense clinical learning, career ambitions, and the complexities of life outside the hospital. Ms Summy Bola recounts her experience at the Royal Marsden Head ...
9 Oct 2025
Creating Supportive Teams: Imposter Syndrome and Psychological Safety in Theatre
Send us a text This episode features a thoughtful conversation with Professor Sadie Khwaja, a consultant ENT surgeon in Manchester, exploring imposter syndrome, confidence, and psychological safety in surgical careers. Sadie shares her personal experiences and research, highlighting that imposter syndrome is extremely common, even among accomplished surgeons and discusses how persistent self-doubt can impact mental health, performance, and career progression. She emphasises the need for a sup...
2 Oct 2025
Found in Translation: The Benefits of Combining Research and Clinical Work
Send us a text In this inspiring episode of WENT & Friends, host Alex Ashman speaks with Miss Elizabeth (Lizzie) Maughan, an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric ENT Surgery, about her unconventional journey into research and how she integrates clinical and academic work. Initially set against pursuing research, Lizzie shares how a series of serendipitous events. From switching degrees at Cambridge to a chance research project, she was led into a career blending surgery and scien...
25 Sept 2025
Back to the Scalpel: Taking Leave and Returning to Training
Send us a text In this episode, ENT registrar Michaella Cameron discusses her personal experiences of taking leave and returning to training, navigating both planned and unexpected breaks, including maternity leave and shielding. Michaella opens up about the challenges and anxieties of stepping away from surgical training, the vulnerability of returning, and the crucial role of mentorship, supportive supervisors, and dedicated return-to-training programmes. She shares practical advice on the ...
18 Sept 2025
Welcome to Season 2 of WENTS & Friends
Send us a text Podcast host Alex Ashman introduces our second season of podcast episodes. WENTS & Friends is the official podcast for Women in ENT Surgery UK. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and X Email: wents@entuk.org any questions or suggestions on topics you may have for future episodes. Thank you to all of our guests for this season and to Karl Storz UK and the ENT UK Foundation for sponsoring season two of Went and Friends, the podcast of Women in ENT Surgery. This season’s epis...
27 Mar 2023
Conception to Mat leave: Pregnancy as a surgeon
In our next episode, three surgeon parents discuss the difficulties around getting pregnant and staying pregnant as a surgeon. Miss Annabel Kemp, an Obstetrics and Gynaecology consultant with a special interest in fertility and recurrent miscarriage, gives us medical advice while our hosts, Miss Victoria Sinclair and Miss Paula Coyle share anonymous stories, practical solutions and their own experiences. We are grateful to the surgeons that shared their stories anonymously with us. ...
6 Oct 2022
Surgical training: the trainees’ perspective
In the second part of our focus on training, it’s time for the trainees to have their say! Ravina Tanna and Tanya Ta are joined by three enthusiastic ENT trainees. TalisaRoss is an ENT ST3 registrar in North Thames Deanery and an academic clinical fellow. Stefan Lindon recently obtained his ST3 number in ENT and started working in Edinburgh. He was formerly an educational fellow at Salford Royal Foundation Trust. Sam Dewhurst is an ST8 trainee in the east of England, currently working at...
22 Sept 2022
Surgical training: the trainers' perspective
In our next episodes we will be taking a closer look at surgical training from the perspectives of both trainers and trainees. We’re starting with the trainers, and hosts Ravina Tanna and Tanya Ta are joined by an expert panel of senior ENT consultants, all heavily involved in surgical training around the UK. Ann-Louise McDermott is a consultant paediatric ENT surgeon at Birmingham Children's Hospital. She has been on the Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) for six years and the Otolaryngology...
4 Apr 2022
The M Word: Breaking the Taboo
“Why is it that women's health is secondary and treated as a taboo? Why is it that women's issues are seen as private, shameful, or even made fun of and diminished? Why is it that a basic physiological need and all of the related symptoms are ignored?” Join us as we address these questions, and more, in this honest and enlightening podcast from WENTS & Friends, lifting the lid on menstruation and menopause, looking at the impact on our busy and intense working lives as doctors and surgeon...
29 Oct 2021
Changing the Culture
In this episode, Emma Stapleton speaks with three influential board members of the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) about issues of diversity, inclusivity, merit and advocacy in a long-established institution, as well as in our own positions in the wider NHS and the global healthcare community. Dr Claire Bayntun is a clinical consultant in global public health and the director of global leadership programs. She is accredited as an executive coach and assessor of emotional intelligence and coac...
14 Jun 2021
Forging Ahead
Our first episode launches with a bang, with a truly enlightening conversation between WENTS President and host Ekpemi Irune and three highly respected ENT surgeons who challenge the status quo and inspire their peers – Prof. Janet Wilson, Prof. Vin Paleri and Mr Guri Sandhu share their personal perceptions and experiences of diversity in the medical space. Janet Wilson is Professor of Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Newcastle University and Past President of the British Laryngological ...
2 Jun 2021
Introducing WENTS & Friends: The Podcast
Welcome to WENTS and Friends, a podcast series by Women in ENT Surgery UK. In this introduction, WENTS UK president Ekpemi Irune is joined by Emma Stapleton (Vice President) and Medical Student Representative Melissa Hammond Flynn. Listen as they discuss the importance of WENTS UK as a society, their vision and hopes for the Podcast. This series will stimulate dialogue revolving around diversity and inclusivity with a view to learning more about the traits that make us unique.&nb...
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