The East of England Core Surgery Programme Guidebook 2022
Welcome to the East of England Core Surgery Programme.
My name is Claire Edwards and I am your TPD (Training Programme Director).
I am an orthopaedic surgeon and work in Norfolk and Norwich NHS Foundation Trust and have been involved in this level of training for many years.
REGISTER WITH THE ISCP
ISCP (Or the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Project) is the online portfolio tool you HAVE to use for all surgical training. As you will (hopefully) be using it for many years until you get your CCT and become a consultant it makes sense to explore and get familiar with it.
Although you can access a lot of the information on curriculum and assessments without registering……
You need to register (if you haven’t already) and also pay a yearly fee.
It is up to you to then enter yourself on the programme.
YOU NEED to PICK
EAST OF ENGLAND 3/8/22 – 2/8/23
Level CT1 3/8/22 – 2/8/23 CT2 3/8/23 – 6/8/24
Speciality CORE 3/8/22 – 6/8/24
Appointment Type CORE 3/8/2 – 6/8/24
You should then find that I turn up on the drop down menu as your programme director.
If is not me you have put another speciality in and not core.
IT IS UP TO YOU TO ENTER PLACEMENT and here you put hospital, AES, and speciality of that job.
YOU MUST SET UP 2x 6 MONTH Placements for each year – there is no such thing as a 12 month placement in core – even if you are remaining in the same department for the entire year. An error in this will plague you for the whole year!!!
Your AES can be the same person for the year and does not need to be in your initial speciality. You can enter as many clinical supervisors as you need and or work with regularly. Your AES guides your educational development and your CS supervises your work day to day. If your AES is your CS please put in another consultant you work with regularly.
I can then validate your placements and you can get up and going and start doing workplace based assessments.
REGISTER WITH E LOGBOOK
Please register if you have not already. There is a small box to tick which means it syncs with ISCP so everyone including me can see your logbook. THIS IS VITAL
There is a very helpful smartphone app (iPhone and Android) which costs £6 and enables you to enter ops in real time without wi-fi access and then upload to elogbook later. Much better than the box of scribbled on operating lists from three months ago and I am assured the best £6 you will spend.
GLOBAL OBJECTIVES
What we expect you to do in the year to successfully complete your annual assessment of progress (See ARCP later) BY THE DATE OF THE ARCP.
a) Have completed induction, interim, final meeting and AES report for both six month placements. If you have a year placement you need to enter them as 2 six month placements in the same speciality.
b) Have completed sufficientworkplace based assessments by your ARCP.
WBAs are formative assessments, (‘driving lessons’ and not test) so you can do same procedure 3 times, beginning, middle and end of placement and show progression.
YOU NEED TO AIM TO DO AT LEAST ONE A WEEK. I will be checking up at the end of September and regularly to see how you are getting on and will email you with my views of progress if you are falling behind.
c) You need to have a completed and signed of MSF (multisource feedback) and I suggest you start this in December in your fist placement.
d) You need to have a completed an audit or a QIP and have it assessed by your AES (under AoA under ISCP).
e) You need to keep your logbook updated – we expect you to have logged at least 120 procedures (NB central line, microsuction, minor ops as well as the bigger. We particularly look for the procedures you have done trainer scrubbed (STS) and not performed alone.
f) You need to enter evidence in the evidence section, which includes educational days, teaching, courses and any exam attempts whether successful or not.
THE EXAM
You have probably only taken exams when you have had a long revision/ study time beforehand. Life and a busy job can make it difficult to find time to revise. We will be providing support sessions but you need to find time or take time off to do the exam and if you have yet to get Part A it needs to be taken seriously.
You can buy apps with questions for your smartphone and you can get through at least 5-6 questions whilst waiting for the anaesthetist(!). These can then guide you as to what to revise in your focussed time that evening (45mins to an hour).
If you fail any part of the exam, your TPD must be informed and you must self-refer to PSU (professional support unit) for an initial dyslexia screen. Despite having had no problems at school/uni at least 50% of people in this situation will be a high functioning dyslexic and require extra time. The rest usually need to revise smartly or give up more time to work for a few months.
WHAT IS SUCCESS IN CST
Success in CST does not have to mean getting an ST3 number. Some of you will chose another speciality (Radiology, O&G, GP etc..) and I don’t mind at all.
To successfully be signed off you need to have passed both parts of the MRCS, have completed the WPBAs, MSFs and done the three courses Basic Surgical Skills, ATLS, and CRISP.
SWAPS
SWAPS are NOT your RIGHT
You accepted your CST as is on Oriel – being harsh and honest – you didn’t get a better rotation because you did not rank highly enough in National Selection.
Rank on National Selection has no bearing on Success at ST3 application.
I can occasionally facilitate swaps with a change of theme but to do this you need to show engagement in the whole process (exam, WPBAS, logbook etc) It is much easier if you are geographically flexible.
I cannot conjure up jobs closer to or commutable from London just because you have a flat there and have accepted EOE because you didn’t get London and were anticipating a swap.
YOU CANNOT SWAP into an empty Clinical Fellow slot in a speciality you want no matter what the consultants say as they are not deanery approved posts!
PASTORAL STUFF
Life can get in the way of things, whether this is marriage, relationship breakdown, pregnancy, parenthood, personal illness or need for operation, family illness or death of someone close.
We can make allowances for things if we know and provide you with counselling and support.
SMART CRITERIA
In an average week when you are not on call you should expect to attend 5 consultant led sessions (half day theatre, clinic or consultant led ward round).
The mix will depend on speciality.
You may not get access to emergency theatre on call and if you don’t it needs to be rostered into your weekly timetable (this is the only place where JDC 2016 might act in your favour).
TEACHING
We will provide regular teaching to cover the curriculum, local courses, a cadaveric training session with a 1 to 2 ratio, anatomy teaching and exam support (revision) and Mock exams as well as Interview support and courses.
ARCP – June / July
There are 2 parts to the ARCP
- a check for revalidation for which you will have to submit form R electronically before the ARCP day.
- Assessment of your online portfolio – see global objectives (3) and exam progress.
We hope you enjoy your time with us.
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