Category: Latest_News

Are you interested in finding out about medical writing?

The Ulster Medical Journal is seeking to appoint trainee representatives to its editorial board. The UMJ is an international general medical journal with contributions on all areas of medical and surgical specialties relevant to a general medical readership. It retains a focus on material relevant to the health of the Northern Ireland population.

This would be an opportunity to learn more about the production of a medical journal. Your role would be to attend meetings of the board (maximum 3 per year), to suggest topics that would be of interest to trainees, and to encourage trainee contributions and readership. There would also be an opportunity to be involved in the review of submissions prior to publication.

Ideally, you would be able to commit to two years on the board.

Enquires can be addressed to

Michael Trimble

Honorary Editor | Ulster Medical Journal

Centre for Medical Education,

Queen’s University, Belfast

Mulhouse Building, 1st Floor,

Royal Victoria Hospital,

Grosvenor Road,

Belfast BT12 6BJ

Email: editor.umj@qub.ac.uk

https://www.ums.ac.uk/journal.html

You are invited to submit abstracts concerned with any innovations / developments in any area of postgraduate medical education or training that has worked well and could be shared with others.

3 abstracts may be selected for verbal presentation on the afternoon of 14^th June 2022

Abstracts will also be selected for poster presentation on 14^th June 2022 when there will be an opportunity to present your poster verbally.

Deadline for abstracts is Monday 14^th March 2022

If your abstract is selected, you must register as a delegate

We look forward to receiving your abstract & completed Submission Form (see overleaf)

Details of this conference can be found at www.nact.org.uk

For further information contact the NACT UK office:  01908 272898 or  office@nact.org.uk

Abstract Submission Form

Event Programme

Registration Form

The VALUED Trainees team at NIMDTA really wants to hear about your experiences as doctors who considered themselves ‘New to Northern Ireland’ at the start of their training here.

In order to better understand the practical difficulties that you may have had when you started your training in Northern Ireland as well as to identify the things that may have worked well, we have put together a short survey, based around the key areas highlighted by recent IMG trainee focus groups.  There is no time limit on when you started your training in Northern Ireland, as we would like to hear from everyone about both the positive and negative aspects of your experiences when you moved to work here.

This is an anonymised survey that will allow you to provide your views on the experience fully, honestly and confidentially. This will help us to better understand what we, at NIMDTA, could do to improve the experience of coming to live and work in Northern Ireland.

We would be grateful if you could spare 15 minutes to complete the online survey via this link: New2NI

This Survey will be open for 3 weeks and will close on the 10 November 2021.

AMEE – An International Association for Medical Education promotes international excellence in education in the healthcare professions across the continuum of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education.  AMEE, working with other organisations, supports teachers and institutions in their current educational activities and in the development of new approaches to curriculum planning, teaching and learning methods, assessment techniques and educational management, in response to advances in medicine, changes in healthcare delivery and patient demands and new educational thinking and techniques.

More information for AMEE can be found in the website www.amee.org.

Recognizing the important role of Junior Doctors in the field of medical education, EJD and AMEE have developed a continuous collaboration over the last years, coordinating activities and initiatives together.

One of these initiatives are the AMEE Junior Doctors Awards, that aim to support the efforts of junior doctors in the field of medical education. There are 2 available awards:

• AMEE – EJD Junior Doctor Award on Leadership on Patient Safety
• AMEE – EJD Junior Doctor Award on Research on Medical Education

More information for the awards can be found at the following sections. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact medical-education@juniordoctors.eu.

Submission deadline is 24 October 2021, 23:59 GMT. Please click here for details: AMEE EJD Junior Doctor Awards October 2021

Joint Statement Release

Throughout the pandemic, the General Medical Council (GMC), Statutory Education Bodies (SEB), Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) and trainee representatives have worked collaboratively to consider if and when derogations were required to postgraduate education and training.

A further statement has been released from this group in September 2021. Click on the link below to read this in full:

Joint statement on temporary derogations – September 2021_

Are you a Foundation Trainee or a trainee new to NI commencing August 2021?  If so, apply to become a mentee now!

The Professional Support Unit aims to provide best practice in supporting and developing postgraduate doctors and dentists in training within Northern Ireland.  We understand that beginning new roles and relocating can be challenging, therefore we would like to support you by offering you the opportunity to be connected with a peer mentor.   Your mentor would be a senior trainee, who could support you in the practical aspects of your training, as well as many other areas. 

What are some potential benefits?

• Gain practical advice, encouragement and support
• Learn from the experiences of others
• Increase your social and professional confidence
• Become more empowered to make decisions
• Develop your communication, study and personal skills
• Develop strategies for dealing with both personal and professional issues
• Gain valuable insight into the next stage of your medical career
• Gain advice on relocating to NI and working in the HSCNI

Applications to become a mentee for the August 2021 scheme will open on Monday 5 July 2021.  To register on the scheme, please click on the button below.

NIMDTA welcomes all new trainees to postgraduate training in Northern Ireland every year through the Annual Trainee Welcome Evening. This event usually occurs during August and is aimed at all Hospital Specialty and GP trainee doctors who are new to training. The evening provides trainees with information on topics such as:
• Training in Northern Ireland
• Careers
• Mentoring
• Professional Support
• Leadership Opportunities

The next session will take place as below:

Tuesday 17 August 2021
5.30 pm to 7.00 pm
Online via Zoom
Book your place here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/RXU43Y/
For further details on starting training in Northern Ireland, please see the NIMDTA Welcome Programme.

During the pandemic the GMC, SEBs, and Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties recognise that there may be challenges for trainees and trainers in attaining the competencies or in providing the evidence of competence for progression at ARCP.

As set out by the four SEBs in a statement ‘Supporting the COVID-19 response: Enabling progression at ARCP’ (21 April 2020) changes have been introduced for ARCPs, including the introduction of two new ARCP Outcomes – Outcomes 10.1 and 10.2 – and these will continue to run in 2021.

Outcomes described in Gold Guide 8 should be used where possible. If trainees meet the minimum evidence and competency requirements in the GMC-approved amended decision aid, then they should get an Outcome 1 or 6.

If they do not meet GMC-approved amended decision aid requirements and:

a Can progress – they should get an Outcome 2 or an Outcome 10.1 (if COVID-related)

b Can’t progress (due to being at a critical progression point or due to patient safety issues) – they should get an Outcome 3 or Outcome 10.2 (if COVID-related).

Further details are available here: https://www.gmc-uk.org/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-information-for-trainees

Please click here for the GMC’s full policy on temporary changes (derogations) to postgraduate curriculum requirements where training has been disrupted by the pandemic.