Trainees and ISCP

Educational and Clinical Supervisees

I will usually offer to sit down with both educational and clinical supervisees at the start of every rotation.  We should then meet again at the three month mark, and on completion of the placement.   In the first meeting I will look over your CV on ISCP so please make sure it is up to date in advance.  We will set goals for your clinical work, publications, presentations, teaching, quality improvement etc. 

I will usually ask you about important personal events coming up during the placement such as weddings, births of children, major sporting or musical events.  This is intended so that I can arrange support ahead of time if it is likely to be required.  You shouldn’t feel obliged to share any personal information you’re not comfortable with, or that you don’t feel is relevant to the post – the intention is to offer support where needed – not to pry!!

The GMC place increasing emphasis on doctors protecting patients from any issues raised by their own health.  To that end I will usually ask you about hobbies that allow you to completely disconnect from work, to ensure you get a break from any stresses related to the job.  Again, the intention is to ensure you have a pressure-valve, and not to obtain unnecessary personal information.

Lastly, my role is generally to set goals for you, and then facilitate you achieving these.  But the driving force has to come from you as the trainee, and I would then expect you to let me know if there are hiccups.  At that point sometimes having a consultant mention something to a colleague can smooth the process, and so I would expect my role to be facilitatory, but you will need to drive the process.

Clinical Practice and Background

My elective practice is hand, wrist, and selected elbow cases. My training was in North West Thames, with fellowships in Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derby, Chelsea and Westminster, and Wrightington Upper Limb Unit.

I offer tips and advice for a general approach to DGH trauma including operative skills and Management of an unselected oncall/take.

I have completed both the European and the British Diplomas in Hand Surgery. This allows me to offer trainees a specialist hand and wrist practice with an approach to examination and diagnoses in clinic, as well as specialist operating theatre lists. I aim to be a diploma tutor in the future, but am currently too junior a consultant for consideration.

Expectations of Trainees

At the start of a new placement I would expect a trainee to organise a formal meeting where we review their Personal Development Plan (goals spanning the whole of their career within and outside of medicine), describe what you need and want to get out of your time with me, and discuss anything you need to tell me about yourself and your circumstances that might impact the running of the placement. I would expect at this first meeting to put dates in the diary for midpoint review and for end of placement review.

I would expect trainees to do some preparation before an operating list - ideally after a formal list planning session one week beforehand. This usually involves me providing relevant papers to read, and videos to watch prior to cases.

Useful Resources

The following are resources I would encourage trainees to look over before starting the placement, as they will be frequently referred to:-

i) https://www.youtube.com/@pulvertaftvideos5886 - Pulvertaft webinars (every monday evening)
ii) https://www.bssh.ac.uk/professionals/journal_club_archive.aspx - BSSH Journal Club (bimonthly)
iii) https://www.bssh.ac.uk/professionals/diploma_in_hand_surgery.aspx - information on the hand surgery diploma and reading list
iv) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAbKftrnMl2T0Nb_zVP3ADg - Susan Mckinnon approach to nerve surgery
v) The Upper Hand Podcast (any podcast provider) – 2 well known hand surgeons in St Louis talking about hand surgery.

Feedback

I am keen to learn from trainees about what they value in a trainer and in a mentor, and to be updated on clinical practice elements that trainees may be more current in, especially those approaching the exam.

Interviews and exams

I am happy to run practice examination sessions for trainees approaching the exam or for national/fellowship interviews.

I am keen to learn from trainees about what they value in a trainer and in a mentor, and to be updated on clinical practice elements that trainees may be more current in, especially those approaching the exam.

Interviews and exams

I am happy to run practice examination sessions for trainees approaching the exam or for national/fellowship interviews.