Our Humans of Liverpool series gives you an insight into the great people who make up #TeamLUHFT. Nina Maryanji, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Aintree University Hospital, takes centre stage.
“I was brought up in West Derby, a stone’s throw away from the hospital . I used to travel past it every day for six years on the school bus, and not once did I think I would end up working here.
“I studied medicine at the University of Nottingham and started my training as a House Officer in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in 2003, before moving to Glasgow Royal Infirmary in 2009, followed by Forth Valley Royal Hospital and then Aintree in 2014.
“The beginning of my career was very different to that of a lot of my colleagues - at the time nobody really left their region in search of a job. Working in Scotland was certainly interesting. Trying to understand the accent was a real challenge initially (being a Scouser definitely helped) but I grew to love the people and the culture – I love a ceilidh!
“When I was a medic and applying to work in emergency medicine, I was told that I needed more experience in trauma. So I decided to use my annual leave and work as a motorsports doctor, covering the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and Formula 1 in the United Arab Emirates. Whilst I was there, my team set the record under FIA scrutiny for the fastest extraction of a driver following a crash.
“The team I work with in emergency medicine are fabulous. I have such a good rapport with them all - I can ask them to do anything and without hesitation it’s done. They have got used to my way of thinking and the team can now predict what I will do and say in certain situations, which can be very important in certain clinical scenarios. I think that says a lot about how strong our working relationships are.
“Our ED Department sits within the Urgent Care and Trauma Centre, so part and parcel of my role involves treating patients with very serious life-threatening injuries.
“There is no hiding in the job I do, you need to be able to make decisions and stand by them. Occasionally, things won’t go according to plan because I’m only human, but it is about how I pick myself back up and learn.
“You never know what is going to come through the doors of our department. The patients we see don’t just have physical injuries, but they can also have social and physiological problems. To help these people lead a healthier and better life is a fantastic feeling and something I’m lucky enough to experience on a daily basis.
“My colleagues and the organisation provide invaluable support and this creates an environment in which you can prosper, perfect your skills and provide the best care possible. I have also been able to sing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir since starting here at Aintree and have received lots of help and support in facilitating rehearsals and concerts around my work. It is really important for us all as individuals to have a hobby or interest that is different to our everyday work – I think it makes us all better at what we do.”