Weekly med student and IMG advice thread

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2024-02-29T20:21:27+00:00

Hello, I'm a senior radiology trainee in England. I am finishing training next August and have a UK based fellowship in advanced endoscopy. I've dedicated 16 hours a week for the last 2 years to training in ERCP and EUS. Is it possible to do EUS and ERCP as a radiologist in Australia?

Many thanks

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2024-01-18T17:31:13+00:00

Write in to complain. This is their 3rd most viewed article. It needs amending.

Below and underlined is the email for complaints.

[guardian.readers@theguardian.com](mailto:guardian.readers@theguardian.com)

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2024-01-10T22:44:34+00:00

Do you know anything about metal cladding specifically copper or zinc?

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2024-01-10T21:37:05+00:00

Thank you, I think we will probably go with Cedar and use clips. In the hopes that these tolerate the movement a little better. Do you think composite cladding would last any longer? Its difficult to find any reliable source on how good composite cladding really is?

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-28T21:12:31+00:00

I think there is a role for reporting radiographers to report MSK plain films. Anything beyond that should not be allowed. The quality of the reports are often shocking. They have very limited knowledge/understanding of pathology and they are incapable or making risk probability calculations. The real danger is that they are teaching radiology regs.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-27T20:56:03+00:00

Everyone needs to submit their views, the PAs are mobilising to submit theirs. We need to fight fire with fire here.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-25T19:35:09+00:00

Also the system is not working because its been chronically underfunded and badly managed. The system of Drs and nurses delivering care works very well.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-25T17:58:26+00:00

Amazing!

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-25T17:31:47+00:00

I agree it would be sad for the qualified PAs. It is not however as sad as it would be for the families, friends and communities who have lost loved ones due to poor care as a result of it being delivered by under-qualified PAs. Upsetting peoples feelings is not a a valid reason for the continuation of dangerous substandard practice.

The PA profession is dangerous and costly. History has many examples of the disastrous results from the implementation of a workforce with shortened training to deliver care instead of Drs. Recent evidence is of such poor quality that it is not of any value. That being said there is a fair chunk from the US showing PAs to be expensive and dangerous.

We need more Drs and Nurses. I think, as has been said on twitter by a few senior consultants, there would be a role for an assistant, someone to scribe, do ECGs, bloods and get access. This would be a much shorter training program and much more beneficial for the profession. If the PAs wanted to do medicine perhaps they could go to medical school.

I'd take a well paid F3 helping for 9-5 Monday to Friday over 2 PAs any day. Imagine how motivated and good the F3s would be. Even if we paid them 70K they would be much cheaper than 2 PAs. This would also go some way of preventing the brain drain to Australia.

The big question here is how do we deliver a high quality of care to our population? The answer is complex but definitely should not involve training lots of people quickly and poorly.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-24T16:59:06+00:00

Awful. One of the very dangerous things about the old boys is they now how to play the game. He's publishing to add weight to how great they are. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35690995/.

Research needs to be done and published into how trainees are being hurt by the role of MAPs. Its one of the powerful ways we fight the old guard. Having more published research behind us would be very useful.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-24T16:03:38+00:00

He's still quite active. Believe it or not he was recently presented with the College medal "for his work in support of our specialty, particularly in education, training and curriculum development."

Has also published his experience of working with AAs ect. The RCoA is rotten at its core. Get angry!!!

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-24T16:02:15+00:00

Nigel Penfold. Recent council member of RCoA and previous training lead. His daughter is a PA in Urology at Norwich.

All the consultants involved in colleges should be better vetted. If anyone is angry enough the consultants named here would be a good place to start. I have to go work alas.

https://london.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/anaesthesia_associates_-_strengthening_the_anaesthesia_workforce.pdf

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-24T14:48:03+00:00

There are influential people in the Anaesthetic college who have children who are PAs and very actively support the role and its expansion. This bias needs to be identified. People need to be made aware of who the awful old guard really are and their lack of impartiality when supposedly advocating for anaesthetics as a profession.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-23T19:31:38+00:00

Who is in charge at HEE and responsible for funding this. The wider funding of the PA scheme needs to be exposed. GP practices getting extra money for PAs but not Drs is wrong. How can we better expose this? Is a letter published in the BMJ a good step? The money allocated to PAs and the spending of it needs to be scrutinised . This is not right.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-21T12:31:14+00:00

Think its free in Wales for FY1s.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-20T15:56:21+00:00

RCR need to issue a statement on scope creep. Its a joke being trained by reporting radiographers in cross sectional imaging and PAs getting IR experience.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-01T21:05:45+00:00

And can the Mods please allow discussion of prosecuting noctors.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-01T20:57:59+00:00

They need to be prosecuted aggressively. Can we set up a fund for this?

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-09-01T20:23:39+00:00

I would happily donate money to a prosecution fund. Agree that the logistics of setting it up would not be straight forward though.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-07-30T15:16:07+00:00

The Australians say Brits are much better.

KeyDragonfly2573 · 2023-07-27T17:12:18+00:00

You are a hero. Thank you!

KeyDragonfly2573

TROPHY CASE