MSC STP
A Training Centre’s Experience
Medical Physics UHL
Overview
Lessons Learned
John Sage
Our Experience
• Pre MSC, IPEM Scheme
– 2 years pt 1 with MSc
– 2 years pt 2
– Portfolio and viva assessed
• MSC
– 2 yr 1
– 2 yr 2
It’s been “fun”!
• Phrase was
• “Building plane in flight”
• Hard
– Universities
– Training centres
– Trainees
• Feeling our way forwards
• Now greatly improved
• Plane is up, flying and on course.
– Just one thing left…
First Impressions
I preferred
the old
scheme.
It’ll all fall
apart.
It’s all
downhill from
here!
How can
we make
this work?
Be Realistic
• Time is very limited.
• Need to be very organised.
• They will NOT get to the point a four year
trainee would have done.
• They can NOT submit the same level of
written work.
• Cannot spend elective backpacking round
science departments of Europe.
Competencies
•
•
•
•
•
•
Huge number
Need to be organised
Not assessment
Not full clinical competence
Not 5 page essay
Have they done enough to pass a final
assessment?
• Picking up flags
Competency Expectations
I’ll never
get this
signed off!
Competency Preparation
Item
Perform routine
quality assurance
measurements on a
radionuclide
calibrator.
Handle sealed and
unsealed
radioactive sources
…
Describe how
relevant legislation
and guidance is
applied …
Written
Evidence
Log &
example
results
Summarise
handling
experience
<1 page
Summary
<1 page
Verbal
Assessment
5 mins
10 mins
10 mins
Task
Trainer
Observe and perform under
supervision daily and
monthly QC on dose
calibrators
Helen (& DM for QC)
Practice the use of
syringes/vials containing
non-radioactive liquids
Carry out experiments to
demonstrate the principles
of shielding distance and
time
Helen
Write resume of how
legislation, is incorporated
into local protocols. Carry
out mock spill. Perform
departmental monitoring and
waste log-in.
DM
Evidence
• Can help to suggest required level of
evidence to the trainee.
• Hammer home need not to regurgitate
theory.
• Avoid extra work where possible.
• Back up with verbal discussion.
• Can refer back as often as necessary (but
don’t go over the top!)
Do we need to teach them?
• Not our job to teach theory.
• But not enough for clinical scientist just to
teach practise.
• How theory links to practise.
• Difficult to do in the treadmill of
competency collection.
– Mentors
– Tutorials
Challenge Style Tutorials
•
•
•
•
•
•
Shows gaps in understanding.
Gets them used to assessment.
Involve whole team.
Reminds staff of basic science.
Keeps you on your toes.
People enjoy it!
Key Lessons
Be Organised
Get the Knowledge
Challenge Tutorials
Competency Menus
Get Evidence Right!
Competency is not
Assessment
Do it!
• Needs preparation and monitoring.
• Not a light undertaking.
• Training still incredibly valuable
– Future workforce
– Future recruitment
– Making you think
– Helping some great people
Last Word
The more practical work
that can be done to
evidence competencies
the better – re-writing text
books is dull and time
consuming
Encourage your trainees to
have a life outside work. It’s
pretty stressful and you need
a release.
Please be quick in
responding to submitted
work otherwise I’ll have to
spend an extra hour
remembering what I did.