About Hospital Rotations

These are summaries of our hospital rotations written by our current trainees as well as learning outcomes for each post.  The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Job Summary

This post is split into 3 months Ambulatory Medicine (see below) and 3 months Medicine (see medicine in hospital rotations).

Working with a variety of Medical Consultants. Daily review of day hospital patients. Regular review of patients on emergency assessment unit (EAU). Daily rapid access clinic patients referred from GPs. Clerking of new ambulatory referrals.

This is an acute medicine job managing patients who need secondary care investigations and treatment but don't need admission to a hospital bed. You will clerk new referrals from GPs and sometimes from ED. Patients return over a number of days for further tests and treatments so it's a bit like having a virtual ward. There are also follow-up reviews of patients recently discharged from the wards and EAU. 

The evening shifts in EAU are clerking on the medical take. 

The weekend shifts are primarily based on the medical wards. There will be a list of patients needing more senior review over the weekend. You will also support the F1 covering the wards. If time allows you will also clerk on EAU. 

Location(s)

Rowan Ambulatory Unit

The Horton General Hospital, Banbury

Shift pattern (lates/nights/weekends etc)

Normal working days of 8 hours with varied start times between 8am and 11am and varied finish times between 4pm and 7pm.  Start and finish times are agreed together with the team - you are a constant member of the team and so are in charge of coordinating the weekly rota.

One late shift (5-10pm) on EAU per week (1 in 5). 

Weekend ward cover 9am-7pm on one in five rota.

Top tips for extra opportunities (e.g. teaching / skills )

When needed liaise closely with radiology, cardiac investigations and specialist consultants. This can ensure better outcomes for patients, avoid admissions and also give you lots of advice and tips about managing cases.

Highlights

This was a very busy job but it was also good fun and I learnt a lot. Many of the cases are just beyond the management options of primary care so it's still very relevant for GP training and helps you to see things which could have been done differently or earlier which might have avoided the need to refer to secondary care.

Challenges

There is always consultant cover but you have the opportunity to work very independently forming management plans and discharging patients so it’s really important to be confident but also to know your limitations.

The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Job Summary

The majority of the time is spent in out-patients clinics which are a great opportunity for learning.

The team is also responsible for the care of a small number of dermatology inpatients.

There are daily minor operations lists which give you the opportunity to learn practical skills.

Time is allocated in the rota for administration.

GP trainees also take part in the general medical on call rota covering renal and palliative care at the Churchill Hospital.

Location(s)

The Churchill Hospital, Oxford (mainly), the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford (Friday paediatric clinic) and the Horton General Hospital, Banbury (Mondays).

Shift pattern (lates/nights/weekends etc)

1 Long day per week. 

Approximately 8 sets of weekday / weekend nights and weekend long days in 6 months  

On call evenings, nights and weekends are covering renal and palliative care at the Churchill Hospital.

Top tips for extra opportunities (e.g. teaching / skills )

Many opportunities for learning through consultant teaching in clinics.

Minor surgery skills.

Teaching 2-3 times each week focused on trainee learning.  Including Tuesday morning 8am tutorials and Tuesday afternoon meetings and presentations.

Highlights

Excellent consultants, very willing to teach.

Lots of clinical experience very relevant to general practice.

Very organised department

Challenges

Dermatology is very specialised so starting as a trainee with no previous experience can be challenging with a steep learning curve initially.

If a trainee is away you can end up covering all the tumour clinics and therefore not be able to go to other clinics during this time.

The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Job Summary

A&E job.

You do a mixture of majors and minors

There is the opportunity to do procedures

There is very good senior support from registrars and consultants

There is a daily 4pm team meeting handover meeting

Location(s)

The Horton General Hospital, Banbury

Shift pattern (lates/nights/weekends etc)

Currently working shifts between 0800-2100 weekdays (no weekends or nights). 

Top tips for extra opportunities (e.g. teaching / skills )

Lots of teaching including protected trainee teaching every week Friday mornings 9-12am which includes ED, paediatrics and radiology.

Highlights

Well supported emergency unit

A nice environment to work in, very sociable

Great hours

Scrubs provided

Challenges

Unbanded rotation

The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Job Summary

Predominantly ward SHO work

On calls days and nights are spent in EAU clerking new admissions

Weekend on calls spent on EAU or rarely on the ward

Laburnum ward specialises in cardiology and CVAs, Juniper ward in ID and gastroenterology. The medical short stay ward is for general medicine and is attached to EAU.  Over a six month period you will rotate through each ward. You will cover one team per ward.

Location(s)

The Horton General Hospital, Banbury

Shift pattern (lates/nights/weekends etc)

10 week rotation

Approximately 1 in 5 weekends worked - either day or night

Approximately 1 in 6 on calls

Long shifts/on calls are 13 ½ hours

Nights are split so that you do weekend nights, then post nights recovery, then a float week which often people take annual leave, followed by weekday nights.  This can mean you do weekend nights then have almost two weeks off prior to starting weekday nights.

Top tips for extra opportunities (e.g. teaching / skills )

There is general medical teaching for trainees once a week

There is the opportunity to attend clinics but this needs to be organised to ensure day to day duties are covered

Book leave early!

Highlights

Lots of pathology

Recurrent exposure to common medical problems that will be seen in GP leads to confidence building

Friendly teams, friendly consultants, small community

Rotation around the different wards varies exposure

Challenges

Lack of continuity and working with different colleagues frequently - makes handover very important

High turnover of patients

Sometimes it can be difficult to attend teaching or clinics due to ward commitments

Balancing on call and ward duties can be challenging.  It can be difficult to get out on time.

Swapping shifts is difficult

Rarely have full team due to rota for on calls and annual leave.

The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Job Summary

Community obs and gynae placement.
Variety of labour ward, early pregnancy unit, antenatal clinic, GP gynae clnics, hospital gynae clinics, GUM clinics, theatres and hysteroscopy.
Also opportunities for other opportunities depending on interest - pelvic pain clinic, breast clinic.

Location(s)

Horton General Hospital, Banbury

John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital Oxford

Shaw Clinic, High Wycombe

Three local GP surgeries (Shipton under Wychwood, Shipston upon Stour and Chipping Norton Health Centre)

Shift pattern (lates/nights/weekends etc)

No nights or weekends.  The daytime shifts may vary in length and start and finish time.

Top tips for extra opportunities (e.g. teaching / skills )

1. Great opportunity to get your DFSRH and training in fitting coils and implants – these qualifications are useful for your CV and if you had to do them through the Family Planning clinic would cost a fortune!
   
   
2. Use the GUM/gynae clinics for assessments e.g. CEPs
   
   
3. Use the clinical research fellows and midwives to enhance your learning
   
   
4. Easy to get assessments done, plenty of time with GPs, nurses and registrars e.g. for CEPs and CBDs

Highlights

The wide variety of opportunities – means you can really make the most of the placement.

Covers a lot of different areas e.g. obstetrics, antenatal, general gynaecology, urogynae, GUM.

Practical aspects – lots of procedures and hands on experience available.

The chance to work in different GP practices and see how they vary.

Very relevant to GP as primary care centred.

Easy to take annual leave.

Challenges

You can be doing gynae one day and then family planning clinic the next

Stay organised and focused to make sure you make the most of the opportunities!

This means there is lots of travelling to different places.

The details are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.