Anyone had a planned c-section done by a trainee? Reassurance needed.

One more thing to add, if someone is having a genuinely emergency appendicectomy, especially if it is complicated with an abscess or if it has burst, that is much more complicated than a routine c-section....you'd be wanting the senior surgeon in on it then.......

Secondly, the reason why the public hospitals won't allow you to insist upon having the fully qualified specialist (they are all qualified doctors) do your procedure is because at times, there is only 1-2 of these training the trainees who outnumber them by sometimes 5 to 1, so you can imagine if everyone came through the door insisting this what would happen to the public hospital system and by necessity what would have to happen to the tax rate. So personally, I wouldn't complain, you'd just be giving a hard time to someone who can't change the system (and as far as many are concerned the system does not warrant changing).....it's just that our expectations are different.
 
Hi Shenzhennifer, thanks for asking your paediatric friend - very much appreciated. Reassuring that he considers c-sections easy and common...

Hi Mummymoo, thanks for your response also. Your words are reassuring too. My first reaction was to try and get a private delivery, but I am so close to the scheduled delivery date (Monday) I agree that I will find it hard to find somewhere to do it, and also I think it would be quite stressful to change everything around now.

In terms of 'getting what you pay for', I can appreciate that this might be the attitude and indeed understand why. Looking back, I just hadn't appreciated the real differences between public and private. If I had, then I would have paid for private. We decided to go with a public hospital because we thought the quality of care in a public hospital was just as good, if not better than, private hospitals and that it was only the bedside manner, private room and other such "luxuries" that were missing. I still believe that the potential quality of care is excellent in public hospitals (e.g. medical facilities, neo natal units, specialists etc.) but I see now that this doesn't necessarily mean that every individual will benefit from that potential. The quality of care that I will receive will be nowhere near as good as if I had gone private and chosen an experienced, skilled consultant.

Anyway, there is nothing that I can do now except listen to the reassuring words of yourself, Shenzhennifer and other posters and convince myself that it will all be fine. I am sure it will.
 
i must say that i disagree with you wholeheartedly. i've had two VERY, VERY complicated pregnancies and while the bedside manner can leave a lot to be desired, the MEDICAL care i received was FANTASTIC.

i grew up next door to an OBGYN (he actually delivered my brother and 3 weeks later moved in next door), whom i still call "uncle". when i was pregnant (both times) i was on the phone to him almost weekly giving him updates on EVERY test, procedure, and piece of advice given me. his conclusion ws that the medical care i received here was virtually identical to what i'd receive in canada.
 
Carang, you missed my point. What I was saying was that the quality of care in the public hospitals can be excellent if you have access to the specialists and senior doctors, but that it is not necessarily the case that you will have access to these doctors / this care. As is seen in my case where a trainee is doing my surgery with no supervision when I would prefer a more experienced doctor.

What my doctor at the POW told me was that the consultants and senior doctors work on the complicated pregnancies, not the routine ones like a planned c-section. This would mean that, as yours were "VERY VERY complicated" pregnancies, then presumably you would have had access to some of the best doctors rather than a trainee.

My point was that had I known I would be operated on by a trainee then I would have preferred to pay to have a much more experienced doctor perform the surgery.
 
Totally agree and empathize with you, Liquorice. I feel the same way as you, but am further off from my cut than Monday:0
Well put about the potential of hk public hospitals. I too used to feel rather optimistic about the care here...until I actually got it. But my pregnancy is uncomplicated and boring and so therefore I will probably have your trainee operating on me in a couple of months.
Quote from nurse at MCHC the other day(read very fast):
"so any symptoms or complications that might make you want to see the doctor no well that's good so any questions no well good so see you in 4 weeks time bye bye"
Another priceless exchange with a different nurse that day, upon seeing me walk in with my stroller and boy:
"who will take care of your baby?" "me." "well, tell him to sit down on the chair." as my boy is in the middle of settling himself on the chair, "sit properly!" "he is not a dog. Don't speak to him like that!"

Yes, looking forward to my next appointment.
 
Liquorice, truly you are in good hands. The POW is only one of two university teaching hospitals in this town and the doctors there of all levels are usually the brightest in their year. Don't fret too much, just await the wonderful arrival of your new baby. It's a great time in one's life.
 
Well I'm certainly sorry if the information I provided was incorrect, maybe pregnancy is addling my memory, hope your c-section goes without a hitch.
 
To be clear, a trainee surgeon IS a qualified doctor.

'After having obtained the MBBS degrees, all medical graduates are required to undergo one year of housemanship in a public hospital before they can practise as licensed doctors in the territory. Completion of the basic medical training opens the door to a multitude of career options in medicine, e.g. public hospital doctors, private practitioners, university doctors who are involved in clinical teaching, research and services, and health administrators. To be a specialist, the medical graduate should be prepared for more years of postgraduate training and more examinations.'
 
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