The support from the BSMD’s Trainee award, my trainers, mentors, & colleagues’ encouragement, have all helped me cement a great foundation in the sub-specialty field of nail disease.

​

It’s not a field with abundant expertise nationally, yet enough to still pose more than the occasional diagnostic, management and occasionally surgical conundrum to us in clinic. With the BSMD’s award I was able to attend clinics and see rare, common and nationally referred cases with one of the UK’s leading experts, Dr David de Berker in Bristol.

​

I’ve had the chance to see a wide variety of systemic presentations, oncological, inflammatory and infective cases and learn the management principles of each. Furthermore, through Dr de Berker’s guidance, I’ve learnt a method of safely approaching the ‘unknown’ –  a necessity for anyone newly developing a sub-specialty interest.

​

Some examples of conditions encountered include psoriatic nails, pincer nails, SCC of the digital tips, pachyonychia congenita, yellow nail syndrome, 20 nail dystrophy, lichen planus, respiratory, vascular and rheumatological phenomena, onychomycoses; and more. Importantly, it’s the little tricks not easily available in the books that one cherishes. I have a note pad full of these now, and hoping to add more!

​​​

I also used the award funding to attend a national nail disease update course, hosted by Dr Anita Takwale. I most recall learning what I don’t know, which spurred me on to keep delving into the topic. 

Thereafter, my attendance at the International Nail Summit in Athens, got me in touch with others on the global stage. It is through everyone’s combined support, that I made the decision to undertake time out of training for further study and training in nail disease – with the BSMD being my catalyst!

I am immensely proud to have been granted this award, and immensely grateful for what I’ve learnt and the avenues it has encouraged me to pursue and keep pursuing.