I am almost half way through my training in the trust and I have found my experience a very positive one. There have been ups and downs, high points and learning opportunities.
Clinical experience
I have had the opportunity to work in Female secure services at the start of my rotation. This is not the norm but due to my previous experience in secure services I was able to start my training with this team. It was a very good learning experience as I had not worked in Female forensic services. I had the opportunity to do numerous gate keeping assessments (assessing if a patient is suitable for our services), presenting at manager’s hearings and attending tribunals
My second and current placement is a Community Learning Disability placement. I am a part of the team looking after approximately 160 patients in Coventry. The placement started off well enough with me developing my own caseload of new patients and any emergency assessments that may pop up.
In March, since lockdown, training has been very different and I have learned new ways of working that I did not know would have worked before. The team is still actively assessing patients over the phone and through video consultations. We continue to see patients in case of an emergency. Fortunately Covid-19 has not affected my training to a great extent as our clinics are still running virtually. There is still no substitute to seeing a patient and their family face to face but this is not possible the majority of the time.
Leadership experience
I have had the opportunity to chair a number of meetings that regularly take place amongst the clinical staff. These include the Medical Staffing meeting, Clinical Audit meeting and most importantly the local weekly MDTs.
Special interest
I was also able to utilise my special interest day to attend the Epilepsy clinic at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.
Teaching and Examiner experience
Our team receives two medical students every week from Warwick medical school. Teaching them in covid-19 has been a challenge that the team have risen to. I have made sure that they get the breadth of experience that our team can offer despite being limited to online and telephone consultations.
I have also had the opportunity to train as an examiner for Warwick medical school and the General medical council. I have conducted OSLER, OSCE and PLAB 2 exams during this placement.
On call experience
Higher trainees in West Midlands cover a the geographical patch of Coventry and Warwickshire. The on calls are non-resident and exclusively Mental Health Act Assessments. They give LD Trainees a good exposure to main stream mental health patients in a variety of emergency situations.
Study budget and leave
The programme has a generous study budget (with no ceiling!) however Head of School of Psychiatry approval is required for:
- Above £1000 course fee
- Overnight accommodation claims
- International Conferences
- Non-Approved courses. Aspirational courses.
I have booked and will be attending the ADIR (Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised) course using my study budget.
Some details about the Deanery study budget is in the link below;
https://www.westmidlandsdeanery.nhs.uk/Support/Study-Leave