Dear Sir,
I am writing to congratulate the BOA on their recent 'Training Orthopaedic Trainers' (TOTs) programme. Many orthopaedic surgeons have regarded the influx of educational tools into surgical training with suspicion. Acronyms such as CEX, PBA or DOPS, to name a few, have been introduced with no obvious benefit to trainers or trainees. It was therefore with a certain scepticism that a mixture of orthopaedic registrars and newly appointed consultants attended the two-day TOTs programme at the BOA.
The underlying objectives of the course were to define the prerequisites of a good trainer (and trainee), to examine the methods by which trainees learn, clarify the roles of assessment tools and identify how to maximise effective and opportunistic training in a time- and resource-limited environment.
Reasons given by the delegates for attending the course included a desire to improve their teaching abilities, learn how to provide accurate feedback to trainees and develop strategies to train junior doctors in the operating theatre.
Within the course the attendees learnt a number of teaching skills, the role of different feedback tools, and the different approaches to assessing competency. In addition, scenarios were used to explore the role of small group teaching and identify areas where trainers could improve upon their teaching skills.
In conclusion, the general consensus was that the course more than exceeded the expectations of the participants. It was well prepared and delivered its stated aims. While time and hard work on behalf of the trainee and trainer are necessary to produce a fruitful learning environment, it is useful to have a framework to guide modern day training. Finally, compared with other courses developed to deliver the same content, it was £300 cheaper!
Iain McNamara, MA(Cantab), BM, BCh(Oxon), MRCP, FRCS, MD, Fellow, Nottingham University NHS Trust, City hospital campus, Nottingham, UK
Editor-in-Chief's comment
The world of surgical training is changing with the traditional apprenticeship programmes squeezed by restrictions on hours. With training programme directors, professional bodies and trainees themselves becoming increasingly concerned about the erosion of hours in training, it is heartening to see that there are high quality courses available to support those training the next generation of surgeons.
