The role of the Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) is a mystery to most outside of the health care environment. Saying that, it is also a mystery to some within it! This reflective diary will look at a two year training program completed ÔUp NorthÕ through the eyes of a mature student. So this is about ODP training, things that impacted on my training, things I found interesting, useful, heart warming, sad, funny, intriguing, and all the other emotions that you come across in normal life.