I suspect that caring not only for patients but also for staff is the lot of most senior registrars. Patients need understanding and ‘formulating’, while staff need support and supervision. A less obvious role for the senior registrar is that of caring for the organization of which staff and patients form a part. True, this is often done by the consultant. But frequently the unique position of the senior registrar, closely in touch with the day-to-day life of the ward and yet sufficiently detached, makes him the ideal person for this role.