Computer generated transcript

Warning!
The following transcript was generated automatically from the content and has not been checked or corrected manually.

Hello and welcome to this lecture on behalf of the Walter E Dandy Neurosurgical Society. My name is Vasiljevs Eva, and I'm delighted to have been invited to deliver this talk as part of the neurosurgery Student research, teaching and portfolio course. Today I'm going to talk about the court surgical training portfolio and how to achieve a high school so a little bit about me. First of all, I am a trauma and orthopedic registrar in the north, west of England on the Mersey rotation. So that's in Liverpool. Um, I am also on the council of the Association of Surgeons and Training. So asset some of you may have heard of us. Um, it's one of the largest or the largest pan surgical organization that supports surgical trainees all across the UK and advocates on their behalf as well as holds courses and conferences, a very low cost. And so, if you're at all interested in surgery, then it's well worth joining the membership so that you can benefit from these fantastic events. Um, currently, I am traveling that I have six months out from the end of CST to the beginning of ST three to essentially travel Well, I've chosen to travel, but I could have done anything at all. Um, and it's fantastic. It's amazing to get a break from training. Um, and if anyone wants to ask me about it, I've got my contact details at the end of this lecture. And so I'm more than happy for you to contact me to find out a bit more about it, because I thoroughly recommend doing something similar. Um, so my journey really started in Manchester Medical School? That's where I went. I graduated in 2018, um, and completed an NBC HB as well as an interrelated masturah research degree do between my fourth and 50th. I then decided what not decided. I was randomized in the foundation training during the application process to the East Midlands. Um, and so I got Derby as my I chose Derby is my first hospital to do my foundation Year one training in, and I had a max fax placement, a stroke, medicine placement and an oncology placement. So it was all very interesting. During my f two, I moved over to Mansfield in Kingsmill Hospital, where unfortunately, during this time, covid hit so naturally things were a bit more a bit different to usual, but I had my general practice basement during this time. And then eight months of, uh I see you, Uh, and that was during the first wave of covid. So it was a terrifying but incredibly interesting and educational time. Then I've got into CST. So I then returned to the northwest, back to Manchester to complete my two years, of course, surgical training. And that was a trauma and orthopedic themed course surgical training program. So that means that you do. I did six months of general surgery to stop start my training program off. And then I had 18 months solidly of orthopedic training in three different hospitals. So you rotate around different hospitals with six months, six month placements, and I did mine in orthopedic surgery, and now I'm here in, uh, coming into ST three. So I thought I'd give a little bit of an overview. Um, for you. Just a reference point. Really? Because I've been asked by the educational team to sort of provide a sort of work through the scoring matrix for course surgical training and whilst the scoring matrix, a self assessment in other words gets updated every year. I thought I'd give you at least a reference for using these QR codes that you can scan to gain access to the PdF of the 2022 court surgical training self assessment, as well as the person specification for the 2023 entry course Surgical Training Program application. And this, essentially is just a guide. I want to at this stage, uh, kind of outline what I'm going to talk about, because essentially the CST, of course, surgical training, uh, self assessment and doesn't respect really varies every single year it changes. Using the actual self assessment for each year won't I? Don't feel like it would give you a genuine idea of what to do in order to make your portfolio high scoring portfolio for course surgical training. So what I've done is I have amalgamated several years worth of, uh, self assessments in order to, uh, glean what is the highest yield aspect? What are the highest yield aspects from each of the self assessments and essentially provide a list of things that you really need to work on in order to make your course surgical training portfolio? Um, has tipped off as possible. Okay, so this is a mere guide. But just remember that this does change every year, and new things are coming up as well. With my work on asset, we're currently, um, you know, working with the joint college of surgical training to improve the application process. Um, and there have been new recent announcements of the ways that they're going to change things. And not all of it's satisfactory amongst the surgical, uh, cohort. But these are the things that we work on. So it's an ongoing dynamic process. It changes every year. So I wouldn't get too bogged down by this one self assessment. But it's just here as an idea. So you get to see the the tabulated format of how they score you. Okay, um so hopefully that's given you enough time to, uh, scan these codes and move on to working our way through the application process. The self assessment. So, first of all, um, commitment to specialty is an important thing to touch on. So we'll start with that, okay? And this sometimes comes at the end of the self assessment or at the beginning, but either way, I thought we'd start with this because it's a little bit confusing at times. Okay, so firstly, exams Okay, The exam that is required during you can do it before court surgical training during your foundation training, but it's essentially has to be completed before your Reg post is offered to you. Okay, so you have to do it during course. Surgical training, ideally at the latest. The The exam itself is called the membership of the Royal College of Surgeons, or MRCs, for sure, and essentially there are two parts of it, and you can sit it with any college. The first part, part A is an intercollegiate exam, so it doesn't matter which college you just do it with. You can apply for it through the English College or the Edinburgh College, but either way you have to sit it, and it's an online multiple choice examination. So you don't choose your college. At that point, you just sit it. It's all the colleges that have the same examination, and it's two papers about I think I want to say, 100 and 80 minutes each or maybe 180 questions, but it's a lot of questions a long exam split in two parts and you tend to sit it online. Either you know, driving test center or during covid. They did it at home, okay? And it's a system that they use where it closes off your computer altogether. Uh, is an Internet access that kind of stuff? Other programs And you just have your exam program open. So you have to sit that first. And once you pass that, then you can sit. The second part, which is part B and part B, is a practical examination. And this is the examination that you where you get to choose your, um, surgical College. So I chose Edinburgh Surgical College just because I I like the fact that it was an old college and this is no endorsement, but it's, uh it was my personal choice. You can choose England Glasgow Island, Um, and any but it doesn't really matter, but essentially part B, you sit with that particular college, and then you get that full MRCs with that particular college. So MRCs Edinburgh MRCs, England MRCs, Glasgow MRCs, that kind of thing. Okay, but anyway, Part B is all ski based. You have surgical skills anatomy stations. Spot the stations, um, OSK e examination stations and communication stations. So it's a combination of all of these things is usually 16 to 18 stations. It's exhausting. It's hard. But some people say part A is harder because of the knowledge aspect. I found partly, pretty difficult. Managed to pass both of them. Um and, uh, but unfortunately, I failed part A on my first attempt. So it is a difficult exam, but, you know, you have to get through it in order to become a registrar. So, um, sorry. Going back to the examinations. Um, if you pass part A, you get maximum points. If you fail it some years, they give you a point. Some years, they don't give you anything. Okay, Um, so just be aware that it can change year on year. But if you're feeling ready for it, then sit as early part A as early as you can, because it does always give you points. Um, but just remember that, uh, they may change it year on year. So if you can't sit it during foundation training and you can you can only do it during CST, which is what I did. I stopped it during course. Surgical training. It doesn't really matter too much. Don't get too bogged down. It's a difficult and expensive exam. So, you know, they're expensive points if you really put it that way. Okay, so the second thing surgical courses. Now, this is a, um, dynamic aspect of the court surgical training portfolio. It sometimes comes in. It sometimes doesn't, um, for next year the J C s T removing courses. Last year it was a big part of the application process. Okay, so I have my top tips here. Um and I would really try and stick to them because courses are very, very useful. They are excellent, and they are worth doing, but, um, I think be created and frugal. Okay, Um, what you need to remember is that courses are very expensive, okay? And they do give you skills, But quite often when you start course surgical training, you will have the these courses paid for by the Dean ary so you can claim the course feedback from the Dean Aree. Now, this means that when you don't have a way of having it covered by the dean every like I did during my foundation training. I wouldn't encourage you really to go for the expensive courses unless you really can afford it. And you want to do it. Okay, It's up to you, but be created and frugal When we're talking about the court surgical training portfolio. My ballpark figure is try not to spend more than 100 lbs on a course. There are lots of excellent courses, a lot less than 100 lbs, often free. Okay, so try and look for those ones. I'll give you some tips in a second. Um, if you're eligible during foundation training, uh, then you can claim for Dina restudy Study budget. If you're a student, then obviously it's very difficult to claim the course fees back. Um, and if you're course surgical training, then often you actually get the money back. But obviously, this is the lectures for applying to court surgical training, So we're going to treat it as if you have no money or you can claim back from the Dean ary. Okay, but if you can claim back, then definitely go for it. So asset have loads of events that are either free for members or a minimal fee for nonmembers. Um, and there are definitely worth doing. They're high quality courses that are recognized on all of the court. Surgical training portfolio scoring matrices. Okay, Um, so you have to look into that, uh, foundation. Surgical skills is one big one. Get on that. Get your surgical skills. You know, the basic surgical skills, kind of, uh, side of things nailed and and preparing for a career in surgery is also really good. Usually a virtual event. So you can literally just tune in, and it counts as one full course. I think it's free for members. Um, if I'm not mistaken in my the only members that can do it, the foundation surgical skills is 50 lbs for non members and free for members. Okay, So really, really low cost courses, but really high quality courses. Okay. And we've also have pre conference courses. If you've ever been to one of our conferences, you know that we have pre conference courses in various specialties such as plastic surgery, vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, and you can be a part of that course. Learn motor skills. And yeah, it counts as, of course, and it's often again less than 100 lbs. Ok, um, British Orthopedic Training Association. I'm slightly biased because I'm an orthopedic trainee, but they do a medical student course, which is free. Okay, so that's definitely worth getting on to if you if you are a medical student, um, Dukes Club do educational meetings. So this is a colorectal organization. Um, and they essentially, um uh, hold educational meetings which are free, and so you can subscribe to them And that councils, of course, Rouleau Club also do a free course, which is So you want to be a vascular surgeon and again, this is excellent. So think about the courses that you can do for free and or low cost. And look at what some of the the person, the self assessment criteria, the list of things that are eligible and on based on that, you can then go for these courses. But in any case, sometimes it'll be on the self assessment. Sometimes it won't be. Just remember, courses are useful. Do them at a low cost. Do them if you want to, and you can benefit from. Okay. But I'd say they're always beneficial. Just be careful and frugal about them. Uh, and the Foundation Surgical Society, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh have a brilliant organization for foundation trainees. And also medical students is called Foundation Surgical Society. There are different ones in every region. So, Manchester, you know, foundation surgical society, etcetera, etcetera. Um, and essentially, they run loads of events really low cost online, often conferences, that kind of stuff. Brilliant. OK, so with looking into, um, And then there's the English college. Surgical skills for students and health professionals as well. Um, which is I think it has a reduced fee. Okay, so let's talk about operative cases. So this is your surgical log book. And again, year on year, the numbers change. The requirements change. But the bottom line is that you should get a log book ASAP. Okay, so here are my top tips. Number one, sign up for the log book. Okay. I've included a QR code here and an example of what the, you know, home page looks like, but essentially, there's only one log book. Okay, there's no point doing a paper log book, all that kind of stuff. It doesn't count. The log book for surgeons is what counts. So make an account, and then you can make an account as a medical student, I did one when I was at medical school. I didn't use it to to my best. You know, uh, to my advantage. But if you can If you're early on in your in your journey towards the surgical career, then sign up to this because you do get exposure to theater in in medical school. If you're keen, you go to theater and you need to log these cases. Okay, start recording every single procedure from now. Okay, Even if it's an observed procedure, still counts towards your own development, so still include it. However, assistance is the only thing that counts towards a course surgical training application. Okay, so always ask to assist, and that all that means is that you scrub into a case very, very important. You get hands on experience, even asking to throw a few sutures to hold an instrument to retract anything like that. You're assisting and that counts. Okay, So rack up those cases now, I'd give you a ballpark figure of about 20 or so assisted cases. The reason being, um, in 2022 I think it was 39 plus cases give you maximum point points, but then they brought it down to about 15 plus cases for 23 so it can change year on year. One thing I focused on is just 20 assisted cases is good. Okay, may not get your maximum points. It may get your maximum points, but in either case it will get you good points. So just aimed for 20 assisted cases, I think that's a reasonable figure to aim for. If you're a medical student, if your foundation doctor then don't worry too much, it might be a bit harder to achieve that. That number of cases, but just get into theater, get those assisted cases scrubbing. Okay. The other thing is, make friends with the surgical trainees because us, as surgical trainees, were the ones who are training. And so we're always first priority for assistance or doing the procedure. However, if you make friends with us, then we'll let you do stuff okay, because there are some cases where we don't get to do as much. Uh, so we we get the bare minimum, but within what we're doing, if you get a chance to you know, uh, suture a little bit, and we can take you through that. Then that still counts for us, as you know, having done a part of the procedure. So make friends with us because we're we love teaching. I certainly do. Uh, many of my colleagues do, and and we'll take you under our wing and then get you in there. OK, so surgical trainees are really important source resource for, uh, surgical skills. Okay, so, um, next up is surgical experience. Now, this is more to do with surgical placements. Taste of weeks, uh, surgical jobs, that kind of stuff. So, as you can see in the box boxes that I've highlighted here, a surgical placement that's recognized includes plastic surgery, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, ent characteristics even I t use included in that Max facts, urology, orthopedics, a whole load of things. Okay, so, actually, this can be quite easy to achieve. Now. The way you need to prove that you've done it is by having a proper signed letter by the consultant that you've done the placement with all the job with. Obviously they need the, um, C number and the dates that you've done it um, and also where you did the placement. So, actually, as a medical student, if you do, if you've done a surgical placement like a student selected component and that kind of thing, make sure you at the time of doing your placement, you obtain letters to evidence that you've done that placement cause that all counts as surgical experience. Okay, I didn't do that because I did. I I had no idea. My my sort of CST pathway started when I was in. Maybe f one f two. Uh, that's when I realize all this stuff that I've paperwork that I should have collected over time. But if you're, you know, ahead of the game and you're watching this, you're a medical student. Start doing that. Your foundation student, a foundation doctor. Um, then you need to get evidence of your, um, surgical placement. So if you do, if you have a surgical rotation in your foundation training, then, uh, you know, get a letter to recognize that you've done it, Um, and make sure you do activities within that, like observe teaching or on audit that kind of stuff to prove that you did your surgical placement and you'll get like a summary of your foundation program as well that you can use as evidence. But getting a letter with a consult And what I did, for example, was that I obtained a letter tabulating exactly what I've done. So I went to theater, did an audit, helped out and, you know, led the ward Ward rounds that kind of stuff. Just even just your job description. In general, if you write a letter and have your consultant your education supervisor during your surgical placement, sign it off, that's very good evidence. And it shows that you were proactive and it outlines what you exactly did during that placement. Okay, Anyway, the things that count a surgical elective, um, if you're able to organize one, then go for it because it's in. It's in medical school. I didn't mind in anesthetics in ICU because I was sort of thinking like, Well, what am I going to do? I don't know. This sounds fun, and that was it. And I didn't mind abroad, But you can organize surgical electives. Okay, Uh, and that's that always gives you points that's fairly consistent throughout all the, uh, port for their self assessments. A surgical placement during foundation we've already talked about. But a surgical taste a week is another thing that you have to do. That's a minimum of five days, in case you go to say vascular surgery in your hospital as a foundation doctor and say, Hey, can I do a taste a week with you? And it's five days a minimum of shadowing the consultant, The ridges, the juniors, uh, they're called surgical trainees. You know, everything, Um, and then you get a proper letter signing you off. And usually it's an in hospital kind of arranged formal process. So always try and do a taste a week and a specialty you're interested in doesn't for surgery has to be a surgical placement. But you know, you can do it any any specialty if you're interested in anesthetics as well as surgery, and you can do it anaesthetics as well. But it's a really key, really useful way of gaining, uh, an insight into the specialty itself. Okay, so, um, my top tips would be doing elective in surgery and evidence it with a letter from the department that signed dated etcetera. Um, letter headed. So they've got the hospital, details on the letter and also right reflection on it. OK, it's 202 150 words. Reflections are just such a you know, uh, necessary. Um, yeah, it's like Marmite. Some people like it. Some people hate it. It's a necessary process. But it's a great way of showing evidence, really, and and evidence that you thought about it and learn something from it. Okay. From the experience. Okay, so that's really key. And it's required for a lot of the self assessments that have gone by over the years. Um, if you're choosing your F one jobs, if you're the point where you're choosing your F one jobs and you might not have done your elective or you have done it, whatever. But when you're choosing your elective, your foundation jobs front, load your surgical placements. Do it first. Okay, because court surgical training applications um uh, go. Go in at the start of F two. So if you haven't, if you left your, uh, surgical placement to the end of F two, then that's gonna be too late, and you won't be able to get the letter to prove that you've done it. Okay, but it counts for points, so you may as well front. Load it, Get it done early. Get that experience. Get the letter points. Okay. My, uh, orthopedic placement was at the end of F two. Ended up getting canceled anyway because of covid, but actually didn't count for anything but points, um, as it stood because it was at the end of my ft instead of, uh, during my foundation year. One placement. Okay. Um, luckily, I had Max facts, and that was accounted for some experience and do a face a week in surgery at least five days. Okay, so hopefully that's covered That, um, moving on now to the next part of the self assessment. Now, this is about your postgraduate degrees qualifications and additional degrees. Okay, this is fairly simple. And not everyone's going to have scored highly on this unless you've done extra degrees. Really? Okay, So here's the order in which it goes. PhD is highest points research mg. That's not part of your degree. Is the second highest points, Um, an M rays or an MSC uh, the next load of, you know, points. Um then it goes to BSE, then it goes to diploma in PG, sir, we do need to talk about inter related degrees, though, because this is a highly debated topic amongst medical students and beyond. Really, um, for different reasons. So when I was at medical school, there was a huge debate about Should you do it? Should you not do it should really give you points when they not give you points. I remember seeing a presentation, and instantly it was a neurosurgery application presentation. Um, and I said that, uh, interconnected degrees, especially for some masters, which is what I did give you Max Point. So, at the time, I was looking to do so, I thought, I'm definitely gonna do this amount of masters. It will give me max points. That's interrelated. Uh, you know, it was covered by the NHS, uh, the NHS bursting at the time. So that's fantastic. So I got paid for everything, and it turns out it has given me know point sits because the application changes like I'm saying, every single year things get put in, things get taken out. Okay? So interrelated degrees, unfortunately, has now come out of the scoring system for 23 24 but it was in the scoring system in the self assessment in 22 applications, so it's all a bit weird. But anyway, don't do it for points. That's the most important thing. Okay, do not do it for points. Do it because it is useful. If you do a master's, you can do it in research, get a research experience of research and get a publication. Get presentations. All that kind of maximize that opportunity and only do it if you really want to. Okay, it's an incredibly useful It's still a degree, so it's incredibly useful. Even though it's classes, an integrator degree and not technically a postgraduate degree, it's still a degree, okay, and it will give you tons of experience time out of medical school. So do it if you really want to. I benefited from it a lot, but I didn't have the foresight nor the initiative to use it to my advantage, so I didn't get any publications out of my project. I didn't get any presentations or conference, uh, you know, posters out of my, uh, project. I just essentially just used it and hope that the points and learned a lot from it but didn't maximize what I could get out of it. That would get me other points, if you see what I mean. Okay, so that's interrelated degrees. I hope that's answered and demystified a lot of questions. So next up is prizes and awards again, this is quite difficult to achieve peace. You already achieve things then good. That's that's the you know you're you're on to a winner here, but essentially it has to be a but the sort of maximum points. It has to be a national award from a recognized surgical institution. Unfortunately, that's that's the wording that they tend to use. Or if you have a distinction at medical school, that counts pretty highly. Okay, Um, sometimes they stipulate that it has to be the top 10% of the medical school that is awarded this distinction, which tends to be, um, but But usually if you just say, here's here's my degree certificate ministers distinction on it. That's enough evidence to get you those points. Okay, um, don't leave it at that, though. If you still have time before your CST application, then distinction, merits and projects best project or presentation or poster in conferences. If you win that, that counts as well. So get get out there and start getting these prizes because you never know when you'll win them. And you might have an excellent project that's just sat on your table. Um, And you you did a medical school, but it's never been presented anywhere, but it could be the one that wins an award. Okay, alternatively, here are my top tips. Apply to essay prices. Okay. Essay prices are fantastic. Way of getting an award. And immediately when you get that award that counts, Okay. It might be kind of a local or regional award or even, you know, a national award in in A. In a broader sense, it may not count for maximum points based on the wording at the top, but but it will still count quite highly. Okay, So royal cause the Royal Society of Medicine do loads of essay prices, and you get money for it as well. So you know, if you're short of cash and you want an award, it's a double wormy. Okay. Kill two bir. Two birds with one stone asset also have a foundation. Uh, s a prize, and it's a foundation training essay prize and the medical tune it surprise as well. So again apply to that sticker essay. And, um, and you know, we see some fantastic essays, but it's a whole variety of essays, and it's not just always, you know, a sort of perfect essay that wins. It's an interesting and and, you know, thought provoking essay that tends to tends to get the get the price. Okay, so so so definitely give it a go and submit good projects. Like I said to multiple conferences, to increase your chance of presenting as well as winning. So next quality improvement and clinical audit. Okay, this is another criterion. That's in all the self assessments. Um, so really, really important. Uh, you know, I myself found it incredibly laborious, Um, when I was a medical student and the foundation doctor and just did it for the sake of it, and unfortunately, that's probably a lot of people's motivation for it. However, it's an incredibly important once you get used to the clinical impact that it has. Um, uh, you realize that it's an incredibly important, you know, safeguard really for good practice. So if you get involved in one of this in a clinical audit or quality improvement project. It's good. Okay. So well done. Uh, an audit. First of all, I want to define it a little bit, because what's the difference between the two and audit really is a check of compliance, uh, towards current practice, and you check that compliance with plenty of explaining that. So you're checking compliance with certain guidelines and standards, uh, to evaluate current practice. Okay, So the key things are that you're you're checking of the current practice, abide by those guidelines and standards. Okay, Um, the difference between that and the quality improvement project really, is that they're they're similar in premise. So you're doing a cycle of data collection to see what performances? Um, introducing an intervention and then checking at the interventions worked. But quality improvement projects tend not to have those often don't have those standards, uh, to check current practice against. So, um, that's kind of the different. The rough difference between the two. There are obviously huge definitions for each and lots of complex, uh, terminology. But if you wanted to know the exact difference, then that's, you know, more or less the difference. Um, so the top tips to achieve best points in this category lead the audit or key. I project. Okay, you do get some point for being part of an audit or a quality improvement project, but you don't necessarily get maximum points. Maximum points comes from you have led the entire project and, you know, lead a team to collect the data or collective it yourself. Whatever come up with the intervention, then you have re audited the findings. Okay, that's the key thing. So step one, lead the project step to close the loop. That means perform cycle one intervention and cycle, too. And that's what we'll get you. The maximum points for that audit. It's just doing cycle one does not get your maximum points. It limits the number of points you get. You have to close the loop. Okay? And it also doesn't mean that you close somebody else's loop that can get your points, and it varies. Depends on how you sell it. But getting them guaranteeing the maximum points is by doing cycle one intervention the cycle two and then evaluating the results of your intervention. Okay. Third thing, though, is present. It okay, Without presentation. You never did it. Um, you can get your certificates from the department, etcetera, etcetera. But if you haven't presented it, you don't get the points. And this is fairly consistent in all of the self assessments over the years. Where if you presented it Band, that's it. Brilliant, you disciple. One cycle to let it presented it. You're sorted. You're you're laughing again. There's a lot of points to be gained here. Okay, So presented at national conference, um, Post A presentation, I think counts. I managed to an oral presentation. So for my year, oral presentation was the clincher. So because I did an oral presentation at a national conference that one the the top points. Um, but you know, all it takes is just an application to the conference. Submit your abstract and see what see what happens. And the more conferences you submit your abstract to, the higher the chances that you'll have for being accepted for either a poster or oral presentation. Unfortunately, in some self assessment's, they have said it has to be a surgical project for maximum points just to be on the safe side, do a surgical project. But if you really can't do it. Mine wasn't in surgery. Mine was actually in general practice. Um, this musculoskeletal health in the community. Um, but my year didn't stipulate that it was a surgical project that we had to do. 2022 said that it had to be a surgical project. 2023 didn't just do it, you know, to be on the safe side. Okay, So, ideally, surgical project, if you're doing something else, it will still be very high points. So next up is teaching experience. Um, I promise the the self assessment does end at some point, but these are the really, really important things that, you know, come year on year appear you're on, you're in the in the self assessment. So teaching experience really has to be, uh, top points teach on an international national regional scale. Um, you have to have at least four sessions or six months worth of teaching, uh, and evidence of formal feedback as well as regular engagement with teaching over the last year. Okay. Um, so these four things are essentially the key criteria that will give you the best points. Okay, Um, anything in between might just slip to the second category, which is still good. It'll still get your points. But to get the maximum points, these four. If you take the boxes for these four, then you'll get Max points. Okay, it's fairly consistent. So my top tips would be to join a society. Or you can make your own, um, and, uh, and director revision course. So what I did in medical school was I I And this was all, you know, retrospectively I was. Thank goodness I did this because it got me the maximum points. But at the time of medical school was just sort of bumbling about and thought I was doing something cool. So I made a society and and then, you know, with the events schedule, I then said, uh, biannual revision course for fourth years for their office keys. And because it was incidentally, it was in your, uh, neuro neurosurgical society. Manchester and neuro was a big part of the fourth, your rosky. So there you go. It was a revision course that we put on specifically for that improved confidence, etcetera. And that's been running ever since. It's been a while now, so I'm not sure if it's still going in a different format. But either way it was. It was a revision course that organized and that got me a lot of points. In addition to this, However, for my registrar application, um, I had recently done a, uh, recently led a sort of international virtual teaching webinar series in in association with the Surgical Society and Manchester, the Undergraduate Surgical Society. And that was a fantastic way of having massive reach. Um, it also meant that we could at least do four sessions, multiple sessions because it was online and loads of feedback and, uh, and and accounted for, you know, a ton of points because of that. So it was validated by local educators. I used Gallipoli Surgical Society as well as the patrons. Um, and, you know, having that evidence, the letter of recognition, that kind of stuff and formal feedback that you reflected on that's going to be more than enough evidence to show you for your teaching experience. Okay, so you can also help organize a regional teaching event. You can contact your local asset regional representative like myself and we we tend to host events. If you want to get involved with one of them, just, you know, drop us an email and, uh, and we can get you involved. And then now you go on your C v as you You You helped organize a regional asset event, which is amazing, but the T the key tip really is to collect feedback. Okay, if you don't have formal feedback, it's very difficult to to, you know, complete that, that that that this aspect of the portfolio because you can do as much teaching as you want, um, and maybe get a letter here on here and there. But you have to have the formal feedback and I'll give you an example the next slide of what it should look like where you analyze and reflect on that feedback, okay. And to get a regional event, the key thing is to allow other medical students to join your event. Or do you hold your course or event other hospitals, okay? Or the medical schools? Because that means that you've gone out of your specific locality and gone to another place in the region that makes it regional. Okay, so that's the key thing, really to to be aware of. Okay, so here is an example of formal feedback. So this is from the, uh, surgical essential series that I did recently before my ST three. Um, while I was in court training. And this is basically how the Google feedback forms generates a a report of your feedback, and so you can then download that report and copy and paste the images, um, into a word document. And then on the right hand side, you can see there is a reflection on what I learned during this time and what I felt about the the feedback. Okay, so this is really important. And this is gold dust as evidence. When you when you you really showing that you engage with your teaching experience. Okay, so this this this is just an example of that, um so next is training teaching. Um, this always comes up, but, I mean, not always going to get a formal qualification teaching, but essentially, that's what it is. Okay, so it's a formal qualification. Um, of teaching and essentially, masters is top PG. Certain medical education is second. You can do a five day course or a two day course on online e learning. Okay, that's the kind of order of high highest, lowest points. But you can see this. You can do something within that. Okay. I just did the online You learning and got a couple of points. That's great. Tick that box. I didn't have time nor the cash to do a sort of higher. Uh, qualification, like PG cell of masters and five vehicles is 10 to also be very expensive. But my top tips would be, um, if you don't have any time and have little money, then just do some e learning. There's some on the learning for health, uh, education or something like that. Do that if you get certificate at the end, and it may may or may not count, but at least you've done it. Okay, It doesn't cost anything. Um, there is a train. The train, of course, that Royal College of Surgeons of England hold, but it's expensive, but still cheaper than doing a formal qualification like a PG. So or a diploma or masters. Okay, um, you've got to weigh it up for yourself. How much time you have again? It's shorter as well. So, in general, though, the PG set will pay off in the long run because it gives you brilliant, brilliant, you know, educational experience and knowledge of, uh, medical education. And it also counts for every application, at least, the second tier of, uh, top points. Okay, so so worth doing. But it costs a decent amount, and it takes time and effort, so just think about it. Okay? Okay. Um, so number seven is presentations? Um, top points. Oral presentation at International National meeting. Makes sense. Second top points usually is if your first author of a poster presentation at an international national meeting mine was that the, uh, first author First, I think the second or third actually at the, uh was I So first off, I can't remember first or second author. I had 22 posters, and they were both of the vascular society annual annual scientific meeting. Um, and, uh, that was great. I got back on the lows of points, you know, two posters and I was a high at least second or third. I was first on one of them and second on the other one, but but you know that that's that's brilliant. So having that having lots of poster presentations where your first author is really a good way of boosting this part of the score? Um, oral presentation. A regional meeting is the next, you know, most sought after, uh, achievement. So other than that, there's not really much that you can get away with presentations. I think if you're like, you know, last author on a couple of posters, unfortunately, doesn't really count for much at all. So the things to aim for therefore are always aim for first author for posters. Okay, A good place to, uh, submit abstracts to for acceptance of the posters. Usually, uh, a good places asset conference and the boat A conference. Okay, They're both great. Um, and they're reasonably priced way to present multiple posters. Okay, um, if it's an undergraduate, if you if you are a student, then you can submit to undergraduate conferences. And I think there's a higher chance, usually of obtaining a spot for an oral presentation. And if it's a national student society and they're like nancy egg or something, which is neurosurgically, uh, oriented. Um, then then you know, they they would, uh, still pretty competitive. But that would be a chance to get an oral presentation. So the more you submit, the higher chance you'll have of being accepted. Okay, So submit multiple abstracts, multiple conferences, and, you know, make sure your first author on the posters. And obviously, if you're you will be first author. If you're delivering the presentation, usually so and that's that's still pretty good. Okay, so oral presentations count for the most. Um, And then, first of all, the posters, multiple. First off the posters count for a decent amount as well. Okay. Right. Publications. Now, this is a difficult one, Okay? Not everyone has publications, if you're lucky. Lucky enough to be, uh, okay with the world of academia and have had opportunities to be published then, then brilliant. Okay. You're doing really well. Um, The key things, though, that counts are first author, pub Med I, D paper, which isn't a case report or editorial or a letter. Okay, that's the thing that's going to be the top point clincher. Sometimes it's, you know, one or more two or more that they need to get the top points. Um, depending on you know, how much of a wave of, um, juniors getting published, But getting the first authorship on a specifically pub mint. I'd be paper is the top is the clincher for top points. Um, next, you could be first author of a case report or a letter or a co author over pub Med I D paper. So review research paper, that kind of thing. Okay, sometimes they specify has to be original research, which is really difficult. Because if you haven't, if you've never done a research project that you've got, you know, a few publications, case reports, editorials, review articles, that kind of stuff, then you're not going to get it. And I you know, I think that's quite harsh, but it's just the way that they do it. Sometimes they just switch things up to make it. You know, the criteria even more strict. Um, the other way that you can get a decent number of points is if you've published a chapter in a medical book. This isn't something that you publish yourself. It has to be published by a third party. So, you know Taylor and Francis, for example, they published lots of books, So if you did a chapter for one of those types of books, then then great. You get a decent amount of points and you need service. The evidence that with the appropriate, you know, title etcetera. Who's published it? That kind of thing. Um, if your collaborative author of three or more pub med i d papers. So they have to be pub med I d, um, collaborative projects, and then you can get decent number of points as well, but this is I've I've put it, you know, top to bottom as top points to lowest points. Okay, you can still get points with these other things. Okay, so my top tips really would be authorship really matters. Okay, if your first author for a paper that will always get you more points if you're 2nd, 3rd, 4th, you're counted as a co author. No matter if your second or third or fourth or last author. Okay, you're a co author. Um, so if you're a co author of a paper, um, you you you still get points. But I said, you know, all the shit really matters. So trying to publish at least a case report or a letter because they're arguably a little bit less time intensive to complete and published than an original research paper. And you're more likely to probably be first author on these types of papers. Okay, So letters are much easier than case reports, then original research papers and review articles. Okay, um, maybe with your articles, then original research papers. But try at least that you get some points. Okay? So it's always going to be recognized. So you just try and do that. The other thing is a key tip. Really? That I only cottoned onto very late in the game. Unfortunately, a bit too late. Um, was that any supervisor you have, say, a medical school or foundation training or something? You often have a supervisor who doesn't have academic experience. Um, and this isn't because they it's not so much that they don't know what they're doing. It's more like if you get assigned to do, uh, you know, some mandatory project during medical school and you you're doing a quality improvement project on an audit or something like that. And you think, Oh, yeah, my supervisor will know everything. Often they don't, and especially when it comes to publishing. So what's worth doing is googling your supervisor's name to see if they come up and pub pub Med How many publications they have to determine whether they're going to be a, you know, promising supervisor to get you a publication, Um, and that you can do in hind. In retrospect, once you've already taken up project just to check what the likelihood is, um, And whether you need to worry about it or, you know, in, you know, prospectively. So in advance of a project, you sort of think I want to do this project. I'm looking at this person to supervise me. Do they have publishing experience? Because if someone doesn't have the experience of being published, unfortunately, it's very hard to be supervised by them to, you know, uh, publish a project. Okay. So really, really, really, really important Tip there to google them before you find out whether you want to do the project or not. And the other thing is, if you join research committees or organizations, quite often they've got publications going or they have access to academics, and so you can quickly, you know, tag onto a project that will get you a publication. So these are the kind of ways that you can increase your chance of being published. Overall, I wouldn't worry too much about whether you have a paper or not, especially if you're a medical school. The things to concentrate on and the higher yield areas are going to be presentation. So submitting abstracts to conferences, getting your oral presentation skills up, getting as many posters out there as you can. Okay, because publications take a while and they take a good 1 to 2 years on average to be published. So don't worry too much about it. Just try and look for other areas to maximize your points in because this isn't necessarily a time efficient way of getting points. Oh, and the other thing is, um, near the two points are only pub Med I. D. Journals are the ones that are accepted in court surgical training as well as S T three, um, and one part of the prices that don't pay for open access. Okay, unless you're instructed by a supervisor who knows what they're doing and has funds available. Okay, don't go around paying 1500 lbs to open access. There's lots of, uh, there's also selling involved in open access journals where your promise to publication, but you get to the end, and then you have to cough up at least a grand 1500 lbs. Um, and it's it's not efficient to do it that way. Okay, So if someone's asking you for money to to be published and they're saying, Hey, if you pay this much, you'll get published, you know, steer away from it, try and do it away where you're going to get it published in a journal that doesn't charge a fee, and then you can work around. Once you get more experience, you can then start going to open access, provided you have the funds. Okay, um, leadership and management. Right. So national leadership role more than six months. Okay. Regional leadership role for more than six months and local leadership role for more than six months is the order that it goes in. Okay, note that it has to be more than six months, and you have to demonstrate a positive impact as well. But usually you do. Uh, so my top tips, really, for this would be, um, if you're still a medical school, try and get yourself into a society and work your way up to presidency. Okay, Um, it's an effective way to gain leadership, and often it's a springboard to national leadership ship positions. That's exactly how it worked out for me. Doesn't I'm not saying it always works out that way, But once you become a presidente of something, you can become a presidente of something else, and you sort of promote your way up the ladder a little bit. The other thing is, look at large national organizations like voter like asset like deep scrub, etcetera, etcetera. Because these large, uh, surgical training organizations quite often have, uh, um, medical student positions or foundation doctor positions So you can be a representative and it'll be a national representative role, okay? Or at least regional representative. So it's really important to look at these organizations to see when their applications open, apply for the role and and see where you go. OK, again. That's a really high yield place to get leadership experience and get get these points. Um, junior doctor committees, A brilliant doctors mess presidency has been on the application, the self assessment for a number of years. I don't know if it will continue to stay on the self assessment. But again things come and go. You never know. It's still leadership position, okay. And BMA Hospital Iraq is really, really important as well. BMA student Rep Hospital Rep Foundation Rep. Etcetera, etcetera. Really important leadership position. And obviously your impact is massive with that. Okay, always try and commit to I say, 12 months. Um, you can do it six months as well. But I say, you know, just to be on the safe side, a years tenure, okay? And actually, it's not just confined to medicine. You can also do it in a charitable organization or a sports team. And if it's a national sports team that you're that you're captain of a chair of, then that's brilliant and you can still demonstrate positive impact with that. Okay, so next up is and things just phrasing a little bit, that's leadership. Okay, so let's look at, um, how to thrive. Okay, so these are just some top tips, So that's that's a self assessment. Complete. Now, we worked our way through, though, that, uh, those criteria are pretty much on every self self assessment year on year. Okay? And I've broadened it like we talked about before. to make sure that you know how to obtain the best. The maximum points for each section. Uh, and it will kind of be future proof in some ways. Hopefully. Okay, but those categories aren't really going to change any time soon. I can't see that changing. Because, broadly speaking, they're all important categories that come up in the person spec and the, uh, the, you know, self assessment year on year. Okay, so here are some, uh, tips on how to thrive. I think this is an important thing. Because, you know, you can stress yourself out about applying to court surgical training from day one in medical school. I think every one of the surgery that I'm going to get really stressed out by all of these things I need to achieve by a certain date. I see. Take a step back. Uh, you know, think about what you want in the bigger picture. And never forget the bigger picture either. Okay, so we'll work through some some of my top tips on how to really thrive. Okay, Firstly, work smart. Not hard, OK? Efficiency and accuracy, and not usually proportionate just to how fast you do things okay. And that's with everything. You know, this self assessment changes you're on year. Try and make sure that you future proof yourself by getting the experience without costing you loads of time and loads of money. Okay, They're really, really important. Important aspects. Okay, look after yourself first. Okay? Don't forget your friends and family and make sure you book annual leave if you're working, because if you're not able to, you know, make it through your medical school training or your foundation training to get to see ST, then you're not gonna get that. You need to look after yourself, Okay? It's really, really important. No one else is going to look after you. Unfortunately, that never changes. Okay, so you have to find ways to safeguard burn out for yourself and make sure you put yourself first in that sense, okay? And friends and families having that social impact social circle. This is also a great way to to step out of the medical game. Another point lookout for your colleagues. Okay? It's quite easy in medicine, particularly in surgery, where it's so competitive to get into surgery to see your colleagues as your competitors. Okay, but they're not your composition there, your colleagues. And if the the sooner you see it that way, the easier it is to appraise. You know, your own progress and other people's progress around you, and you end up working together and benefitting from each other. And actually, that social friendship kind of aspect is much more healthy than you know, just going and competing with every single person that's unhealthy. You get burnt out a lot quicker. Okay? Thank yourself. And your colleagues, You're on. And I thank you. Unfortunately, so always be the one to say thank you and keep doing the things you love. Make sure you do your hobbies because it's easy to forget it and put it on the back burner. And then 20 years go by and then you sort of think, Oh, gosh. You know, all I've been doing is work like I used to be a gymnast or a triathlete or something like that or, you know, proficient in piano. Uh, you know, don't forget those things, okay? Because they keep you sort of grounded. Okay, this is a bugbear of mine. Uh, controversial. But keep the caffeine in check. I don't think caffeine ever service, especially over caffeine ation. Uh, never. I don't think it ever says to to make us more productive. I think it, um the only thing it does is it increases the stress response. And actually, there's so much evidence to so you showed it. Increased stress response doesn't make you more productive. Okay, so just be mindful of how much caffeine you're having is not always a wonder drug. Okay, um, regularly remind yourself of the affirmation that you are significant, because you are, and you have to remind yourself. Okay, it's easy to forget that and stay humble. I thought I'd leave you with this quote while we wrap up this, uh, this lecture, Uh, I hate it. Sort of gets you thinking a little bit. To be a surgeon and to perform surgery is a privilege. It holds great responsibility. We see our fellow human beings that are most vulnerable, wearing a thin hospital gown gown removed of all their dignity and personality, anxiously contemplating the upcoming few hours during which their body will be subjected to a procedure performed by a few fellow human beings who have learned to do something really well. You will work long hours. You will often not finish on time. You may not sometimes see your loved ones. However, if you remember to look after yourself and those around you and embark on this journey with patience and diligence, humility and humanity, then you will most certainly achieve excellence. Thank you for listening. Um, I'd like to thank the educational committee again for the Wall T of the Walter Reed and in your neurosurgical society for inviting me to deliver this talk. And I hope it's been insightful for everyone who's been, uh, watching and listening. Um, if you want to get in touch at any point and then these are my contact details at ambassadors Eva on Twitter, That's my email address. And that's my website. And then that's also my instagram handle. Um, and just feel free to reach out at any point. If you want any advice or any help with anything. Um, especially if there's anything asset related, any training issues that you want to, you know? Uh, escalate then then, you know, feel free to get in touch at any point. But thank you for listening and best of luck with your career