Average Black Surgeon
Hospital at night
I chose surgery on a quiet night in a doctors' mess, based on thirty minutes of calm and one honest conversation. The information was incomplete. The commitment was not.
Harry Benjamin-Laing
Average Black Surgeon
Sisters and Misters
Some women in surgery don't just inspire you. They hand you the map they had to draw themselves, and quietly show you where the difficult rooms are.
Average Black Surgeon
Brothers in arms
Surgery is competitive by design. Finding people who genuinely want you to succeed — and who you want the same for — changes everything.
Average Black Surgeon
The Art of Showing Your Work
You put your head down, you do the work, and you wait to be noticed. It took one conversation to understand why that was the wrong strategy.
Average Black Surgeon
The Indian Uncle
In surgical training, skill isn’t enough. You need someone in your corner. My “Indian Uncle” spoke little—but protected me, built my confidence, and taught me the quiet power of trust and loyalty.
Average Black Surgeon
Forgotten
Months after CCT, I found myself unemployed, filling out forms and applying for locums while the system moved on without me. When the operating stops, a surgeon must ask a difficult question: who am I now?
Average Black Surgeon
Outcome 3
Outcome 3. A moment when your career feels like it might collapse. Rumours spread, confidence disappears, and the system closes in. Sometimes survival requires finding another way forward.
Average Black Surgeon
Being Called Stupid in Theatre
Thirty-two years old. Exams passed. Years of training behind me. Yet in theatre a consultant called me “stupid.” In surgery, hierarchy is real — and sometimes the hardest lesson is knowing when to hold your ground.
Average Black Surgeon
The moment I became better at surgery
One month into being a consultant, grief replaced fear. Faced with a brutally complex case, the fog lifted. In that moment I stopped worrying about judgement and started operating with purpose.
Orthom8 newsletter #6
👋🏾 Welcome to this edition of the Orthom8 newsletter. My name is Harry Benjamin-Laing and I'm the founder of Orthom8. I'm very pleased that you have taken the time to sign up to the membership. I look forward to getting to know you all, interacting and hopefully
Average Black Surgeon
The Long Game
At 13 miles I reached the edge of my experience. Everything beyond that point was unknown. The lesson I learnt there would carry me through surgery and life.
Average Black Surgeon
Shadow of my father
In a crowded clinic waiting room, a stranger spoke my father’s name. Legacy is not loud — it is a quiet reminder of who you are.