Demystifying professional support for trainees: what does it mean?

'Professional support' is a commonly used term in medical training but it is not always clear what is meant by it and what the implications are for an individual trainee and his/her trainer. This article explores the concept of professional support in medical training.

Propranolol in the treatment of infantile haemangiomas: lessons from the European Propranolol In the Treatment of Complicated Haemangiomas (PITCH) Taskforce survey.

Background: Oral propranolol is widely prescribed as first-line treatment for infantile haemangiomas (IHs). Anecdotally, prescribing practice differs widely between centres.

Objectives: The Propranolol In the Treatment of Complicated Haemangiomas (PITCH) Taskforce was founded to establish patterns of use of propranolol in IHs.

Infantile haemangioma: their presentation and management.

Haemangiomas are the commonest type of vascular tumour in infancy. This article summarizes the pathophysiology and classification of the subtypes as early identification of high-risk lesions is essential for consideration of treatment to prevent short- and long-term complications from the condition.

Use of smartphone apps by paediatric trainees.

Over 70% of the population owns a smartphone and there are now millions of apps available. This study looks at smartphone and app use among paediatric trainees, in particular whether they are accessing medical apps to help with clinical practice.

A multisource feedback tool to assess ward round leadership skills of senior paediatric trainees: (1) Development of tool.

Background: Leading a ward round is an essential skill for hospital consultants and senior trainees but is rarely assessed during training.

Objectives: To investigate the key attributes for ward round leadership and to use these results to develop a multisource feedback (MSF) tool to assess the ward round leadership skills of senior specialist trainees.

Methods: A panel of experts comprising four senior paediatric consultants and two nurse managers were interviewed from May to August 2009.

A multisource feedback tool to assess ward round leadership skills of senior paediatric trainees: (2) Testing reliability and practicability.

Background: A five-domain multisource feedback (MSF) tool was previously developed in 2009-2010 by the authors to assess senior paediatric trainees' ward round leadership skills.

Objectives: To determine whether this MSF tool is practicable and reliable, whether individuals' feedback varies over time and trainees' views of the tool.

Methods: The MSF tool was piloted (April-July 2011) and field tested (September 2011-February 2013) with senior paediatric trainees.

Annual planning meetings: views and perceptions.

Background: In 2009, annual face to face planning meetings (APMs) were introduced as an optional meeting for all paediatric trainees. APMs are a formative assessment process whereby the trainee meets with a panel of consultants and sets the agenda for discussion.

Method: A questionnaire about APMs was given to all participating trainees and trainers in 2011.

Choosing a career in paediatrics: do trainees' views change over the first year of specialty training?

Objectives: To look at why a regional cohort of UK doctors chose a paediatric career and to ascertain views on their career near the end of training year one.

Design: A 20-item questionnaire was sent to all new regional paediatric specialty trainees. Three focus groups were held with trainees near the end of year one to elicit key themes.

First year doctors experience of work related wellbeing and implications for educational provision.

Objective: To explore factors which affect newly qualified doctors' wellbeing and look at the implications for educational provision.

Methods: Data were collected by free association narrative interviews of nine Foundation doctors and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Two Foundation programme directors were interviewed to verify data validity.

A new tool to evaluate postgraduate training posts: the Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST).

Background: Three reports in 2013 about healthcare and patient safety in the UK, namely Berwick, Francis and Keogh have highlighted the need for junior doctors' views about their training experience to be heard. In the UK, the General Medical Council (GMC) quality assures medical training programmes and requires postgraduate deaneries to undertake quality management and monitoring of all training posts in their area. The aim of this study was to develop a simple trainee questionnaire for evaluation of postgraduate training posts based on the GMC, UK standards and to look at the reliability and validity including comparison with a well-established and internationally validated tool, the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM).

Annual review of competence: trainees' perspective.

Background: An annual review of competence progression (ARCP) is compulsory for all UK specialty trainees.

Aim: We explore specialty trainees' views on ARCPs, including the usefulness of annual review, and how well prepared they felt for it.

Methods: A 15-item questionnaire was completed anonymously by 63 paediatric specialty trainees following their ARCPs in the West Midlands Deanery.

DOPS assessment: a study to evaluate the experience and opinions of trainees and assessors.

Background: Workplace based assessments (WBAs) have been part of UK training for the last 3 years. Carrying out procedures efficiently and safely is of paramount importance in anaesthesia.

Aims: To explore opinions and experiences of Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) assessments in a regional anaesthetic training programme.

How useful are structured electronic portfolio templates to encourage reflective practice?

Background: Some specialties in the U.K. use structured templates in electronic (e) Portfolios to encourage reflective practice.

Trainee doctors' views on workplace-based assessments: Are they just a tick box exercise?

Background: In August 2007, run-through specialty training and workplace-based assessments (WBAs) were introduced for UK junior doctors.

Aim: This study explores whether WBAs have been successfully integrated into paediatric training programmes.

Method: A 20-item questionnaire was distributed to regional paediatric trainees.

Medical students' views on selecting paediatrics as a career choice.

Despite increasing numbers of UK medical students, the number of trainees selecting paediatrics as their specialty choice has decreased. Previous studies show that most students will choose their ultimate career during undergraduate training. We therefore explored the views of students in the final year at Birmingham University about a career in paediatrics.

Senior paediatric specialist registrars' experience in management.

Background: There is an increasing focus on trainees acquiring management skills which form part of college curricula and the guidance provided by the General Medical Council in the UK.

Objective: To explore the managerial learning activities of senior paediatric specialist registrars (SpRs).

Design, Setting, Participants: Questionnaire study; West Midlands region, UK; senior paediatric SpRs in the last 2 years of training.

Reliability of multi-station interviews in selection of junior doctors for specialty training.

Background: Interviews for junior doctor training posts in the UK are considered high stakes assessments following the introduction of Modernizing Medical Careers.

Aims: To examine the reliability of paediatric recruitment in our Deanery for specialty training (ST) in 2008.

Methods: A total of 225 candidates were interviewed for 88 posts.

Degos disease: a new simulator of non-accidental injury.

Recent high-profile cases have made paediatricians very aware of the serious implications of either missing or wrongly diagnosing non-accidental injury. Subdural fluid collections in non-mobile infants usually represent haemorrhage caused by non-accidental injury. We report a 6-month-old male who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department of Birmingham Heartlands Hospital with bilateral subdural fluid collections and skin ulcers resembling cigarette burns.