{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/what-is-alex-shortts-training-and-experience-vp\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/what-is-alex-shortts-training-and-experience-vp\/","headline":"What is Alex Shortt’s training and experience?","name":"What is Alex Shortt’s training and experience?","description":"Alex Shortt discusses his journey from observing his aunt's eye surgery as a child to becoming a successful Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon. He, additionally, reveals the most rewarding thing about his job. ","datePublished":"2019-06-21","dateModified":"2020-08-13","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/author\/alex-shortt\/#Person","name":"Alex Shortt","url":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/author\/alex-shortt\/","identifier":4667,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6afb756e1dc43ed28773098aff9af37d7e16c92671dbd22f5a9bbcb21063c139?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6afb756e1dc43ed28773098aff9af37d7e16c92671dbd22f5a9bbcb21063c139?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Alex Shortt","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/alex-shortt-logo-white-600x140-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/alex-shortt-logo-white-600x140-1.png","width":600,"height":140}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/what-is-alex-shortts-training-and-experience-alex-shortt-london-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/what-is-alex-shortts-training-and-experience-alex-shortt-london-1.jpg","height":675,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.alexshortt.co.uk\/what-is-alex-shortts-training-and-experience-vp\/","about":["About Alex Shortt"],"wordCount":734,"articleBody":"What is Alex Shortt’s training and experience?Interview transcriptionWe interviewed Alex Shortt to find out about his training and experience.Alex Shortt: A question I’m often asked is why I chose to become an eye surgeon. For me, it was quite a personal family experience. When I was seven years old, my great aunt developed severe cataracts. Over time, she lost all her vision. She then went on to have cataract surgery, and I went into the hospital with her and saw her after the procedure. The impact that the cataract surgery had on this family member was immense. She went from being blind and disabled to have a whole new lease on life again. For me, as a young child, it left a huge impression, and I decided then and there, that this was what I wanted to do for a living.The next step along the journey was studying medicine at University College Dublin. I really enjoyed the physiology, pharmacology and scientific aspect of medicine. So, immediately after qualifying, I went back to university and did a Master’s degree in physiology.I then started my clinical ophthalmology training in Dublin. I was lucky enough to be offered a position at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London to continue my training. I moved to Moorfields and after nine years of training \u2013 during which I also undertook a PhD in ophthalmology looking at stem cell technology to treat eye disease \u2013 I finished my training and became a consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital. I worked there for four years.During that time I specialised in very complex cases of severe damage to the surface of the eyes and using corneal transplants and stem cell transplants to try and rebuild the surface of very badly damaged eyes.I also took an interest in lens implant technology and laser vision correction and using these advanced technologies to improve vision in patients who were extremely dependent on glasses and contact lenses.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSearch for:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRecent Posts\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018Can I wear make-up before and after laser eye surgery?\u2019\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow long does laser eye surgery last?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSMILE v LASIK v PRK – What Are the Different Types ?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCan I get laser eye surgery?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA clear look into the types of laser eye surgery in London\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTake the eye surgery self-test to see if you qualifyNot everyone is a candidate for eye surgery. Find out if laser eye surgery could help you ditch your glasses and contact lenses by taking this fast quizTAKE FAST SUITABILITY QUIZAlex Shortt: In 2017, I took the decision to actually leave the NHS and to establish my own independent practice, so that I could have more control and more ability to offer the treatments that I was specifically specialising in, to work with the complex and interesting patients. Furthermore, I wanted to provide a more personal service, where I could give more one-to-one face time and more dedication to patients as they go through their treatment journey.The most rewarding part of the job and the thing that keeps you going on twelve to fourteen hour days are seeing patients after treatment when you have improved the quality of their vision and the quality of their lives tremendously and they’re just beaming. They’re sitting in the waiting room, reading the paper, smiling without any glasses. It never gets old. The feeling of appreciation and having fulfilled and often exceeded the expectations makes it all worth it and never wears off.If you\u2019d like to know more about vision corrective surgery, book a free initial screening today and I will personally answer your questions. Alternatively, take our free suitability quiz to find out which treatment you are suitable for.About the authorMr Alex J. Shortt | Consultant Ophthalmic SurgeonMB BCh MSc PhD FRCOphth PGDipCatRefI’m Alex Shortt, a highly trained academic researcher and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based in London\u2019s famous Harley Street medical district. I trained and worked as a consultant for 14 years at London\u2019s Moorfields Eye Hospital. I specialise in advanced technologies for correcting vision, including cataract surgery, implantable contact lenses and laser vision correction.Learn more about meGet a complimentary vision assessment todayComplete the form below to chat with a member of my team. Discover if you’re suitable for a life changing vision correction procedure\t\/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.\t   We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. *\/    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t        I consent to receive valuable and relevant e-mails\t\t\t\t\t\t                "}