Author(s): Whitby V.; Tan J.
Source: Anaesthesia; Jan 2018; vol. 73 ; p. 46
Publication Date: Jan 2018
Publication Type(s): Conference Abstract
Available at Anaesthesia – from Wiley Online Library Full Collection
Abstract:High quality regional teaching has been well-established in the Mersey region to prepare anaesthetic trainees for the FRCA examinations. However, the Mersey post-fellowship meetings (PFMs) have been of much poorer quality – unstructured and of variable educational value. In August 2017, with the support of the Deanery, we transformed the post-fellowship teaching. Methods An online questionnaire was developed and sent to all Mersey post-fellowship trainees. This sought to identify problems with the existing regional teaching format and barriers to attendance. The PFM organisers then sought to seek solutions to each problem. Innovating and working together with the head-ofschool, while keeping trainee opinions in mind, bold steps were taken to restructure the PFMs (Table 1). Results The trainee survey identified multiple barriers to trainee attendance, including location of teaching, failure to be released for afternoon teaching, fixed day limiting access to less than full-time trainees, and poor quality speakers. Following the revamp of our PFMs in response to these problems, attendance has doubled from an average of 26% to 52%. Discussion To improve attendance, the teaching locations are now rotated around the central hospitals of Merseyside, taking advantage of improved facilities and parking. College tutors were written to and encouraged to put the PFM dates down in departmental diaries. The usual half-day sessions were also changed to full-day events. Finally, to afford equal opportunity to less than-full-time trainees, study days are now rotated through different days of the working week. Securing funding from the trainees study budget has enabled invitations for high quality talks by out-of-region experts, as their travel and accommodation can now be subsidised. Having a budget has also afforded the option of delivering wellbeing and resilience training in response to the RCoA’s recent morale and welfare study [1]. Attaining RCoA CPD approval for each session has authenticated the teaching programme and demonstrated to trainees that it is great value for money, with the average cost per CPD point being 5. Re-structuring the PFMs has removed many of the barriers to post-fellowship regional teaching, and has succeeded in delivering a cost-effective teaching. (Table Presented).
Database: EMBASE