RGUC Newsletter
June 2023
Welcome to the June 2023 edition of the RGUC Newsletter
This newsletter updates members of the Dudley Group Undergraduate Teaching Academy and medical students about projects and resources being developed to supplement learning and medical education. We aim to publish an edition every quarter.
Contents
In this edition…
- Key diary dates
- Health and Wellbeing
- Staff Spotlight
- Third Year – Nurse for the Day
- OSCE Feedback and Thanks
- Tips from our Students
- RGUC Simulation Centre – Meet the Team
- REALEYES
- Social Media
- Work Experience
- Update from Clinical Skills
- Goodbye and Good Luck
Key diary dates
University of Birmingham (UoB)
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Fifth year students’ SCE start date – 3rdJuly 2023
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Fourth year students’ LEAP start date – 11th July 2023
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Third year students’ start date – Tuesday 29th August 2023
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Fourth year students’ start date – Tuesday 29th August 2023
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Fifth year AIP students’ start date – Monday 4th September 2023
- Fifth year OBG and Paediatric students’ start date – Tuesday 5th September 2023
Aston University
- Fourth year SSC students’ start date – Tuesday 29th August 2023
- Fourth year cancer care students’ start date – Monday 25th September 2023
- Fifth year students’ start date – Monday 18th September 2023
Medical Work Experience
- Week 1 – 26th June to 30th June 2023
- Week 2 – 10th July to 14th July 2023
OSCE’s
- Aston Fourth year OSCE’s – Thursday 6th July 2023
Clinical Teaching Academy (CTAC) Meetings
- Tuesday 4th July 2023
- Tuesday 5th September 2023
- Tuesday 3rd October 2023
The CTAC meetings have now returned to face-to-face format, and these will take place in the Undergraduate Centre. However, a Microsoft Teams link will be provided for attendees unable to join in person.
Health and Wellbeing
We take the wellbeing of all medical students seriously at this Trust. We encourage you to speak up about any concerns you may have, be it big or small. Please select the poster to find out who to speak to about concerns.
You can also speak in confidence to clinical teaching fellow, Josh Tulley, who is the wellbeing champion for junior doctors and medical students.
Staff Spotlight
Welcome to our new staff members
We are delighted to welcome several new staff members who will be supporting the delivery of medical education across the undergraduate clinical teaching academy.
Natasha Semple – Third Year Coordinator
We welcome Natasha as our new third year coordinator. Natasha comes from a teaching background and brings education and administrative skills to her role. She joined us in April and has already supported the team massively with the administration and running of the third and fifth year OSCEs. She is looking forward to delving into the third-year curriculum to prepare for the September intake.
Charlie Pountney – Education Digital Media Assistant
Charlie joined the digital media team in March as the new digital media assistant. She supports the production of video and photographic content for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. She has a background studying digital media and supporting staff in an education environment. Her skills include photography, camera work and video editing. She is excited by how content can enhance the learning experience in a creative yet informative way, and is passionate about how media, design and technology can make educational resources more accessible and engaging.
Victoria Perry and Lynn Badger – Clinical Skills Educators
A warm welcome to the newest members of the clinical skills team. Vicky Perry and Lynn Badger have joined us as clinical skills educators. Both Vicky and Lynn bring a wealth of knowledge with their background in emergency care.
Beth Powell-Hawker and Jessica Dudley
A warm welcome back to our 4th year coordinator Jess and our clinical skills educator, Beth, who have both returned from maternity leave.
Third year - Nurse for the Day
We are excited to share with you an engaging experience that our third-year medical students recently had during their “Nurse for a Day” placements in our clinical areas. The students were given the valuable opportunity to work alongside nurses and actively contribute to daily patient care as vital members of a multiprofessional team.
Participating in these opportunities is proven to enhance students’ ability to function efficiently within a multidisciplinary team once they are qualified medical professionals. The evidence is clear: interprofessional education fosters a collaborative approach that improves teamwork, patient-centred care, shared decision-making, and effective communication, while also reinforcing professional identity.
During their time on the ward, the students gained firsthand experience and a deeper understanding of team dynamics, observing different professional approaches to care. This immersive learning opportunity allowed them to witness the power of a cohesive team working towards a common goal, ultimately benefiting the patients in our care.
We are proud to offer such enriching experiences as part of our commitment to providing well-rounded medical education. Through initiatives like “Nurse for a Day,” we ensure our students are equipped with the skills and mindset required to excel in their future medical careers.
Our student's reflectons
Students were encouraged to reflect on their experiences and how these will impact upon their future practice. Below are some of the excerpts from this year’s student reflections:
“My experience on the ward shadowing the nursing team further highlighted how important the nurses’ role is in delivering a high standard of patient care. In fact, it became apparent that the nurses were the glue within the multidisciplinary team, keeping the wards running efficiently and successfully.”
“Interprofessional learning opportunities are extremely valuable to enable appreciation of other healthcare professionals within the multidisciplinary team and I would been keen to take part in future experiences.”
OSCE feedback and Thanks
“We wish to express our thanks and gratitude to all involved with running the Birmingham medical student OSCEs again this year.
The exams ran very smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation, preparation and hard work by the administration team, supported closely by our clinical skills team and clinical teaching fellows. Given that the paperwork was received very late, and we had a new admin team, this is a real achievement. Very well done to Laura and her team.
It was also very pleasing to see the exemplary display of teamwork on the days themselves with medics, nurses, AHPs and administration staff all pulling together to make these exams a success.
A big thank you to all who contributed.”
Professor Atiq-ur Rehman
Head of Teaching Academy and Director of Medical Education
Kate Holmes
Medical Education Manager
Feedback from a patient...
“Thanks for making me so welcome yesterday as a patient for the fifth-year exams. Nice group of people. I found it both interesting and enjoyable (and impressively well organised). If you require someone to do the same again in the future, I’d be more than happy to help out. Hope the whole thing goes well.”
Tips from our Students
We interviewed Alys, Jess and Josh before Christmas about their experiences on placement with us during semester one. They talked about how to get the most from clinical placements, surviving OSCEs and navigating the hospital. You can watch a selection of their videos below.
For the rest of their videos, as well as other useful content, make sure you follow RGUC on TikTok
What one piece of advice would you give to students on the first few weeks on placement?
What was one thing you learnt from doing your first OSCE exam?
RGUC Simulation Centre
Meet the Team
Laura Jones – Simulation Lead
Laura is the multiprofessional simulation lead. She began working for The Dudley Group in 2008, first qualifying as an operating department practitioner within the fast-paced operating theatre environment. Having worked within a multidisciplinary team for many years, she developed a keen interest in the human factors and non-technical skills required to provide safe, effective and well-led care for our patients. She recognises the value of simulation-based education (SBE) to explore these further within a safe learning environment.
Outside of work, Laura has two young children who keep her very busy. With a keen interest in gardening, you’ll likely find her outdoors.
If you feel SBE may help your undergraduate or postgraduate learners, please don’t hesitate to contact Laura.
Maryanne Miller – Simulation Deputy
Maryanne joined us as deputy simulation lead in January. She trained as an operating department practitioner (ODP) at this Trust and qualified in 2008. She worked mainly as an anaesthetics and recovery ODP within multidisciplinary teams, later working in pre-operative assessment. In 2018 she went into education, delivering manual handling training and undertaking assessment. Maryanne’s new role allows her to develop on her existing educational skills and learn the new ways of simulation-based education. Her focus is on providing simulation and virtual reality education to participants to enhance their learning experiences.
In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family and two dogs, often walking the coastal paths of Devon.
If you have any simulation based educational needs for undergraduates, please contact Maryanne.
Braiden Fellows – Simulation Technician
Braiden became our new simulation technician in March and, although still finding his feet, he already has improved how we run high fidelity simulation. Braiden comes from a recruitment background. However, he has quickly got to grips with all the medical jargon. Conveniently, Braiden has a keen interest in technology, so look out for some of our technology enhanced learning modalities coming soon.
I’m sure you will join us in welcoming Braiden to the team.
REALEYES
We are thrilled to announce the official launch of RealEyes, a groundbreaking initiative set to transform the way doctors learn and comprehend professional and ethical responsibilities. Developed through a collaboration between the RGUC digital media team, clinical teaching fellows, and the support of NHS England’s cutting-edge virtual reality equipment, RealEyes is ready to revolutionise how we deliver teaching in this area.
Harnessing the immersive power of HTC Vive Focus 3 virtual reality headsets and through four captivating hour-long sessions, students are fully immersed into 360-degree clinical scenarios. With each headset placing students right in the heart of the action, they can gain an unparalleled understanding of what it truly means to walk in the shoes of others.
RealEyes fosters a unique perspective by allowing students to view situations from multiple angles, encouraging them to appreciate the multifaceted nature of healthcare. Whether assuming the roles of doctors, nurses, relatives, or patients, each scenario grants students invaluable insights into the complex dynamics at play in various medical situations.
This immersive learning experience tackles traditionally challenging learning objectives head-on. RealEyes addresses crucial aspects such as the art of raising concerns, the importance of integrity, and the impact personal values, beliefs, and biases can have on medical practice. By embracing this innovative format, we empower students to develop a heightened awareness of the professional and ethical responsibilities they will encounter in their medical careers.
Following each scenario, RealEyes sessions navigates students through a structured reflective session. Through these guided reflections, and by learning from the experiences of their colleagues, students can gain a deeper understanding into the complexities and nuances of professionalism and ethics within the medical field.
We invite you to join us on this journey of immersive medical education. Discover more about our initiative at www.realeyesvr.co.uk, where you can explore RealEyes content in greater detail.
Social Media
Most of the videos within this newsletter are available on the RGUC TikTok, along with many more useful insights not featured here. We are regularly posting new clips that will offer useful advice on OSCEs, as well as tips and resources to help you prepare for them.
Please give us a follow. We hope the content will be useful to you.
RGUC Social Media Channels
iClinical® Social Media Channels
Work Experience
Medical work experience (MWE) is an essential consideration when applying to medical school. Medical schools require applicants to have an understanding of what a career in medicine involves. Attending a MWE week allows prospective students meet various healthcare professionals and experience elements of patient care within an acute NHS Trust.
In 2023 we are running two intakes of MWE. One at the end of June and one in July. Students will be spending time in our surgical theatres, inpatient wards and outpatient clinics, and getting a feel for life in a caring profession. They will also be attending sessions facilitated by midwifery and radiography as well as learning about key clinical procedural skills in our simulation and clinical skills labs.
We will be running the programme for two weeks only. These are:
Week One: 26th June to 30th June 2023
Week Two: 10th July to 14th July 2023
Update from Clinical Skills
Advanced Trauma Life Support
We are excited and proud to announce that the Trust has been approved as a regional centre for the globally recognised Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) course. We recently hosted the two-day course during May.
The course consists of online pre-tests, core content lectures, demonstrations, interactive discussions, practical moulage and post-course MCQ tests. It is designed to provide doctors with the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills in the systematic treatment of life-threatening injuries in trauma patients.
Further courses will be announced for later in the year, so don’t miss out on this chance to improve your expertise in this critical area of medicine. Register your interest now by contacting Lisa.perkins7@nhs.net for further information, or to secure your spot for our upcoming courses!
Clinical Skills update
- The team recently facilitated the second-year hospital preparation course for University of Birmingham medical students. We are looking forward to seeing them all at the start of their third-year placements in September.
- Our team facilitates several training sessions for postgraduates. For example, HeartWorks® which is considered the most in-depth and realistic simulation in cardiac anatomy and echocardiography available today. HeartWorks® includes 30 pathology cases accompanied by an anatomically accurate, fully interactive 3D heart and a comprehensive anatomy textbook.
- The first vascular workshop was held successfully and a further three sessions will be taking place in June.
- Monthly laparoscopy training sessions for core surgical trainees will be starting in July. These sessions will make use of LapAR™ technology, which is the world’s first ‘high fidelity laparoscopic box trainer’, allowing surgeons to practise a range of procedures across the specialities of general surgery and gynaecology.
- The team also facilitates a two-day medical registrar course twice a year.
Finally, we would like to say congratulations to our clinical skills technician, Simon Nicklin, who has just completed the City and Guilds teacher training level 4. Alongside his Fit2Fit accreditation, this will enable Simon to continue teaching our Trust’s key face fit testers.
Congratulations also to Sarah Fullwood on her new role as interprofessional senior educator, and to Rachel Jordison and Helena Vasconcelos on becoming senior clinical educators within the clinical skills team.
Goodbye & Good Luck
CLARE DANESI
Goodbye and good luck to Clare Danesi.
Clare joined the clinical skills team as a clinical skills educator in October 2018. She leaves us to pursue a career in the deteriorating patient team. All the best, Clare.
JEANNE HARRIS
Jeanne worked for the Trust for 45 years. She left her role as deputy manager / third year coordinator in March to start her new life in retirement.
Jeanne has played an important role over the years in ensuring the curriculums and OSCEs were all delivered to the best of the teams’ abilities and guided them to do so. We wish her all the best in her retirement.
Would you like to contribute?
Do you have any news or updates that you would like to see in the next edition of this newsletter?
If so, please emails us at media.team@rguc.co.uk
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