The ST1-4 study day committee is made up of a group of Paediatric trainees within the East of England deanery and accompanied by consultants Dr Jonathan Campbell and Dr Hena Salam. We hold a number of study days over a year structured to the curriculum of level one Paediatric training. In this way, within the first four years of training we aim to provide a wide variety of topics to assist trainees with their knowledge of paediatrics and in obtaining the MRCPCH examinations.
Within the EoE deanery we are lucky to have a large number of hospitals which gives us access to many consultants and senior registrars with varying expertise. This allows us to deliver teaching on a wide variety of topics within Paediatrics from those with expert knowledge. Our ‘core’ themes for study days include Cardiology, Respiratory, Neurology, Gastroenterology and Neonatology, with other topics interspersed between these to supplement the curriculum, for example recent topics have included Renal, Endocrinology and Public Health. Another new topic we have been including in the curriculum is ‘Resilience’ which provides trainees an opportunity to learn about the importance of self-care and support available to trainees outside of the clinical environment within the East of England deanery.
We aim to provide teaching in a variety of formats, including lectures, small seminar groups and interactive simulation sessions to enable us to meet each trainee's needs. Feedback from trainees is vital for the committee to ensure we continue to provide teaching of the highest quality.
We hold Six (6) study days per year: October, December, February, April, June, August
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, our study days have been moved to Zoom lecture days. Like all new virtual learning platforms, we had some teething problems at the beginning and were worried about lack of interactivity, especially with not being able to run our usual afternoon workshops. However we have overcome these issues and are integrating new methods of interactivity into our study days.
Feedback from our last series showed that 100% of participants rated the interactivity as either ‘Good’ or Excellent’. In addition, the virtual platform has allowed us to have guest speakers from outside of the Deanery for example Professor Böckenhauer and Dr Marks from the GOSH Renal Team.
Feedback:
‘Thanks for trying to make sure we still have our teaching despite COVID!’
‘Such an engaging speaker. Very interesting and made it fun to listen to.’
‘Great humour from the speaker, great way to engage the audience with an interactive quiz’
We have a dedicated simulation team as part of the committee who run the ‘ST1 skills day’ for new trainees and the ‘Ready for Registrar’ days which help prepare ST3 trainees for the step up to level 2 training. The simulation training days provide a safe and supportive environment for trainees to practice patient assessment and management. Please see the Simulation Team section for further information on these days.
At the start of each year, we hold an ‘Introduction and Welcome to the Deanery’ day for new ST1s. This is held in September and is an opportunity for new trainees to meet the Head of School and Training Programme Directors. It covers some of the basics of how paediatric training works in the deanery, including topics such as study leave, Eportfolio, exams, LTFT and ARCPs. In addition, we hold an afternoon for ‘common paediatric and neonatal problems’ to help new trainees gain some confidence. Trainees who have not had any previous paediatric experience have found these particularly useful.
Feedback:
‘The sessions were helpful. I was able to get answers to all my questions’
‘Leaders were energising and encouraged questions from us and prompted interactivity.’
We hold a yearly recruitment event open to anyone with an interest in applying for Paediatric training. It is open to those who have not made a decision on their career pathway but might want some more information about what Paediatric training involves, but also to those who have already decided they want to be a Paediatrician but want to learn more about the deanery. It covers information about the EoE Deanery, the recruitment process, academic opportunities and training opportunities from the TPDs and trainees themselves.
In addition, we hold a separate ‘Interview Practice’ event, covering how the interview process works, followed by mock interviews for participants.
Feedback:
‘This was brilliant, well run, and I felt comfortable to ask any questions I had.’
‘Paeds is currently top of my list of what I’d like to go into and this talk has solidified my thoughts further. Thank you!’
As a committee we have organised trainee-led, small group supervisions for the MRCPCH clinical exam. This gives trainees who have taken the exam the opportunity to gain teaching experience, as well as provide and invaluable revision resource for trainees sitting the exam.
Groups of 3-4 trainees meet regularly over Zoom to practice communication scenarios, talk through clinical examinations, and discuss general approaches to the exam. These are led, and guided by supervisors who have passed the exam. Trainees have benefitted from this flexible, social, and free way of revising.
Feedback:
‘I found our teaching sessions extremely useful.’
‘Great knowledge from the supervisor.’
Dr Jonathan Campbell – Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Hena Salam – Consultant Paediatrician and Simulation TPD
Dr Thomas Hixson
Dr Emily Williams
Dr Sandra Fernandes Lucas (Simulation day lead)
Dr Roisin O’Dea
ST1-3 trainees can register for training days on BRIDGE, and for enquiries please contact our administrator, Manigeh mf702@medschl.cam.ac.uk