Whipps Cross University Hospital
MEC Department
CLINICAL OBSERVERS COURSE
1. Introduction
2. Aim of Scheme
3. Selection Criteria
4. Clinical Observer Programme
5. Educational Programme
a. Clinical Skills
b. Personal & Communication Skills
c. Other Skills / Competencies
6. Support
7. Course Dates
8. Fees
9. Application
10. Contact
1
Introduction
Doctors from overseas who want to work in the UK are strongly advised to undertake a period of
clinical attachment in which they can observe practice in the UK.
2
Aim of Scheme
To help and support overseas doctors integrate into the NHS by developing and providing a
structured, purposeful and progressive clinical observer programme at Whipps Cross University
Hospital.
3
Selection Criteria
We do have an extensive selection process, but to be eligible to apply for this course candidates
must meet our minimum requirements, which are:
 Must be qualified from overseas status (proof seen in passport)
 Must be a qualified doctor (proof seen in exam certificates)
 Must have passed PLAB 1 Exam (proof in passing letter)
 Must have passed PLAB 2 Exam (proof in passing letter)
 Must be competent in English (IELTS results)
We accept people from various different statuses and these are listed below:
 Doctors with refugee status
 Doctors with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or exceptional leave to remain (ELR) or
humanitarian protection or discretionary leave
 Overseas doctors
 Asylum seekers with permission to work
Applicants will be selected on a variety of different aspects. Firstly we will look at departments that
the applicants are interested in. All applicants will compete with each other for a position within a
department. To decide we will be looking at previous experience – looking specifically for
experience within the department, which the applicant has applied for. We also take into
account other factors such as their suitability in the position.
4
Clinical Observer Programme
If applicants have been accepted we will be placing them within a department where they will only
be cleared to observe. Most of the applicant’s time will be spent in the actual wards with a medical
team or doctor.
This is an important part of the programme because they will be able to interact with patients and a
medical team. During candidates time in the wards they have the greatest opportunity to observe
activity within a NHS medical ward.
5
Educational Programme
The course aims to achieve a set of competencies and provide candidates the opportunity to gain
some important skills.
Clinical Skills
During the attachment’s time with his/her department we expect them to pick up important clinical
skills and observe procedures within the NHS. We hope that they will pick up some of these skills:
 History taking skills & physical examination
 Presentation of cases
 Good prescribing practice
 Infection control
 Phlebotomy and interpretation of blood results
 ECGs
 X-rays
 Investigations
 Differential diagnosing work up
 Treatment decisions
 Doctor-patient partnership
 Autonomy and consent
Personal & Communication Skills
One of the main emphasis of the course is the interpersonal skills of the attachment. We would like
candidates to learn:
 Multidisciplinary team working
 Breaking bad news and dealing with “difficult patients”
 Multicultural issues
 Patient expectation issues
 Behavioural issues i.e. anger management
Other Skills / Competencies
We would like the candidates to learn several things from their placement within Whipps Cross.
Most of these skills we would expect them to pick up from the structured teaching the course offers:
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How the NHS works
IT/Library skills
Clinical audit
Clinical governance
Basic Life Support
Management skills
Ethical issues
Career advice including, CV writing and interview techniques
Support
Each doctor on the clinical observer course will be placed under a consultant within a speciality,
known as a ‘Clinical Supervisor’. This doctor will supervise them during the entire clinical period
and is responsible for them while they are observing clinically and are on the ward.
The programme is run by Vaishali Joshi who is based within the MEC (Medical Education Centre)
and is the first line for queries from candidates on the course.
There is also support from the MEC manager (Pauline Doyle), who will deal with major issues. If
candidates feel they cannot talk to Vaishali or their clinical supervisor then they can take major
issues to Pauline Doyle.
Dr Sandy Gupta, whom the candidates will be able to approach should there be any major problems,
supervises the entire clinical observer programme. Dr Gupta will also be holding a session during
the course to gauge the candidates’ opinions and respond to feedback.
7
Course Dates
The clinical observer’s course runs three times a year for one month only. We run the course by
calendar months, and thus starts on the 1st of the month and finishes on the last day. The months
that the course runs in are:
 February
 June
 October
8
Fees
The cost of the clinical observer course is £350. We use the money to run the course and carry out
necessary CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) and Occupational Health checks.
9
Application
If you are interested in becoming a candidate then please apply via the application form available.
10
Contact
Whipps Cross staff involved with the project are:
Miss Vaishali Joshi
Undergraduate Administrator
Ms Pauline Doyle
MEC Centre Manager
Dr Sandy Gupta
Clinical Attachment Lead
If you have any queries, contact information for the project administrator follow below:
Address:
MEC (Medical Education Centre)
Whipps Cross University Hospital
Leytonstone
London
E11 1NR
Telephone:
020 8539 5522 Extn 5201
Email:
Vaishali.Joshi@whippsx.nhs.uk
Website:
www.wxmec.org.uk