Working life: Dr Ahmed Omar, consultant gynaecologist and medical firector, Beacon CARE Fertility

6.15am

Fri, 23 Sep, 2016 - 01:00

I cycle to work in Sandyford, it’s the only bit of exercise I get, but it’s regular and uphill!

7.30am

Before theatre gets underway, we have a multidisciplinary meeting of theatre staff. It’s a bit different to your average team meeting because embryologists are involved too— they help the surgeon with the procedure of egg retrieval and assist with in vitro fertilization (IVF). We discuss the day’s cases to make sure they are done in order.

9am

I meet with patients – it’s usually couples that we treat, but not always. We discuss the surgical procedure they are due to undergo. For the majority, it’s egg harvesting surgery or embryo replacement, where the healthiest embryos are selected for transfer into the uterus. All of our procedures are day cases.

12.30pm

After theatre, I have a series of post-operative meetings with our patients to discuss how they are feeling and to assess if they are ready to go home. The theatre team also meets to discuss how the morning’s work went and to see if there are any outstanding issues.

1pm

We have a lunchtime meeting to discuss patients undergoing IVF, who are having their ovaries stimulated. This is part of the process to maximize their chances of success. The more eggs produced and retrieved, the greater the chance of achieving a pregnancy.

Without stimulating medicines, the ovaries only release one egg per menstrual cycle. At the meeting we discuss blood test results and ultrasound scans and how the patient’s treatment is going.

1.30pm

I have lunch in the kitchen.

2pm

I hold patient consultations in the afternoon, with new patients and patients returning for review. I also read over the medical notes of patients due to attend for consultation the next day.

6.30pm

I get back on my bike and head home to take my son to u-12s soccer training. I’m one of the coaches, so it’s good to get out and about with the kids. After dinner, I spend the remainder of the evening doing a bit of reading in preparation for an upcoming exam as part of my continuous professional development scheme.

* Dr Ahmed Omar, consultant gynaecologist and medical firector, Beacon CARE Fertility, Dublin