Optimizing training opportunities for otolaryngology senior house officers: an audit

Abstract

Implementation of the European Working Time Directive and the Modernising Medical Careers initiative will mean junior surgeons must be trained in fewer hours over a shorter period. For this reason, junior surgeon training opportunities must be optimized. We undertook a departmental audit to identify where opportunities to train senior house officers (SHOs) in theatre were being lost, so that appropriate timetable changes could be made in order to optimize exposure to suitable surgical cases. During the first audit cycle, the SHOs followed their existing timetable and theatre attendance was monitored prospectively over a two-week period. Only 30 per cent of theatre sessions were attended and case participation was only 27 per cent. Simple timetable changes were made to maximize SHO theatre attendance, and a second prospective two-week audit was undertaken. The new rota yielded 46 per cent theatre attendance and 48 per cent case participation.

Night emergency cover for ENT in England: a national survey

“…Implementation of the European Working Time Directive and the ‘Modernising Medical Careers’ initiative will mean that junior surgeons must be trained in fewer hours over a shorter period; for this reason, surgical training opportunities must be optimised 9 . The continued reduction in UK junior doctors’ hours has made it no longer appropriate to assume that all activities represent either training or service individually in relation to a trainee's learning curves 10 .…”

Impact of modernising medical careers on operative training in otolaryngology

“…A solution may be altering rotas to emphasise clinic or theatre time, 3 benefiting both those intent on a career in ENT and those with little specific interest.…”

Trends in operative training opportunities for junior and senior trainees in otolaryngology

“…The actual number of operations carried out per trainee may be far less than the numbers of operations available per trainee calculated in this study for a number of reasons, including the availability of an appropriate trainer, lack of training time and pressures from other service and training commitments. This is illustrated by an audit 2006 by Wasson et al , 17 which found that SHOs in otolaryngology participated in only 27% of the available number of operative cases. With the increasing use of online electronic logbooks, it may become possible to measure trainees’ actual operative activity.…”