Mr. Mani Ragbir: “Hard Work” – A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview

In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, which was recorded in 2021, Mani Ragbir MBBS, FRCS(Plast) describes his unique upbringing under challenging conditions in Trinidad, the sacrifices that provided him the opportunity to achieve an education, and the influence that this sacrifice had on his journey to becoming a highly respected plastic surgeon. With reflections on prejudices faced and offerings of homage to his mentors, family, and colleagues, Mr. Ragbir affords us an emotive perspective on a life of dedication and diligence. 

Mr. Maniram Ragbir is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the current president of the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS). He was born in Trinidad and attended medical school at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. He began his surgical training in Trinidad and completed his specialist training in multiple plastic surgery departments in the United Kingdom, including Swansea, Exeter, and Newcastle upon Tyne, where he developed his specialist interest in head and neck and sarcoma reconstruction surgery. After completing his training in the UK, he took up a consultant post in the Caribbean before returning to the UK for his current post in 2006. 

His NHS practice has been tailored to looking after patients requiring the highest level of reconstructive expertise. Most of his current work lies with head and neck reconstruction and sarcoma resection and reconstruction, for which he is internationally recognised. He is widely published in all areas, including reconstruction following sarcoma excision. For his expertise and dedication to the treatment of sarcoma, he is currently the lead clinician for the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Service for the North of England, which sees patients referred with rare tumours from across the northern region. He takes an active role in the broader world of plastic surgery and education, both locally and nationally. He has been the training Program Director for Plastic Surgery Training in the Northeast for eight years and has worked closely with the Newcastle Surgical Training Centre and revolutionised the role of simulation training in basic and higher surgical training locally in the Northeast. He has since applied similar philosophy in the education of head and neck TIG fellows and received consistently high feedback from attendees. He is the first and only plastic surgeon to have been made chair of the head and neck training interface group. 

His contribution to maintaining high training standards was recognised when he was chair of the Specialist Advisory Committee for UK plastic surgery in 2018 and has overseen national selection for Plastic Surgical training in the UK. He is a previous examiner for the Intercollegiate FRCS (Plast). 

Your host, Dr. Vimal Gokani, is a senior Specialty Registrar in plastic surgery in London, England. 

Your producer & editor, Dr. George Adigbli, is an Academic Specialty Registrar in plastic surgery in Oxford, England. 

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