OW Spotlight! Dr Ananya McCarthy

We recently had the pleasure of catching up with Dr Ananya McCarthy, a 2005 OW, now leading teams to provide pivotal medical care for patients as a hospital consultant.  

How would you describe your Westholme experience? Did you have any favourite clubs/subjects/interests?  

I did really enjoy Westholme, the opportunities offered and the friends I made. Looking back, I think the teachers acted as wonderful role models. This was one of the reasons I really fell in love with the science subjects, especially Chemistry and Biology. I also particularly loved Mrs. Brown’s Geography lessons, where we always learned a lot more than just world geography. I enjoyed lots of the sports and music on offer at Westholme. One of my best memories is probably being able to do ice-skating for PE! My favourite trip was to Morocco where a group of us had the opportunity to climb the highest peak in North Africa – Mount Toubkal – as part of our Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold award. This has definitely sparked my interest in climbing hills.  

I’ve made some really close friends during my time at Westholme and shared in their graduations, weddings and the birth of new babies too. Some of whom I’m still in touch with 20 years later! My fond memories of Westholme and the opportunities I was given are, I think, one of the main reasons I’ve achieved what I have in my life, and one of the reasons I’m keen to give back to school when I can. 

Where did Westholme lead you after you left? How did you end up in the healthcare industry.  

The leadership roles I had during my time at Westholme were key in shaping my pathway to medical school. For example, being a student ambassador; or the volunteering opportunities provided, as well as completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award stood me in really good stead for my applications. I had always known I wanted to be either a doctor or a vet, and careful guidance at Westholme helped me make my final decision. Although I spent time away from home for Medical School at the University of Nottingham, and for initial junior doctor/resident doctor roles in the West Midlands, I realised my home was back in the Northwest. I have returned here to start my own family and continue working as a hospital consultant. 

What is a ‘day in the life’ like as a consultant? What do you love most about your job? Could you tell us a little more about being a consultant, what inspires you most about it, what made you want to become an consultant 

My job is actually incredibly varied. As a consultant anaesthetist, I spend some of my time in the operating theatre working alongside a full operating team. I also do rounds in pain medicine looking after patients across the whole hospital and clinics where I help prepare patients preoperatively before surgery. 

I have roles in service development outside of my clinical duties which also form part of my job. This means some weeks I also run simulation drills helping to prepare members of multidisciplinary team for critical incidents that may arise, so we work better together as a team. I also do some out of hours and on-call work, which does include evenings and weekends. This could mean I’m called in for any kind of emergency – from small babies to older people or pregnant women – any of who may need urgent surgery.  

I really enjoy working as part of a big team in theatre, sometimes with some really sick patients and it’s just pulling together as a team that helps achieve a really positive outcome.  

I remember listening to an OW at the Westholme Thanksgiving ceremony as a student, especially their sage piece of advice: ‘find something you love doing and then find someone who you will pay you to do it.’  I’m lucky that this is what I found! I think that is the key to being happy and having a successful career.  

Any advice for current students? 

There are many, many opportunities within healthcare. We are lucky to have the National Health Service at present. Within my time as a junior resident doctor, I have had the opportunity to travel to Canada to help to introduce a teddy bear hospital and to India and Sri Lanka to experience healthcare there as part of my elective in medical school. There are so many opportunities, from working alongside a football pitch or festival as a medic; working as part of an air ambulance service and mountainside rescues; to working in hospitals or general practice. 

Generally, opinions you have now, may not be the same as when you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond. Try and find something you love doing, but if that’s not how you feel at the moment, do not be disheartened that that will always be the case. The world around us is constantly changing. If you do find a job and realise in time that it is not quite right for you, don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. The most important thing is to be happy. Best of luck!  

We would like to thank Ananya for her excellent advice, and for sharing such a wonderful career journey with us.