Assistantship

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate a problem solving approach within the team
• Justify the selection of appropriate investigations for common clinical cases
• Determine to what extent patients want to be involved in decisions about their care and treatment
• Maintain GMC standards as stipulated in their guidance for medical students and doctors in Medical students: professional behaviour and fitness to practise and Good Medical Practice
• Safeguard welfare of vulnerable patients who may be suffering from abuse or neglect
• Communicate compassionately by listening, sharing and responding to patients and colleagues regardless of their age, cultural or ethnic background
• Make an investigative plan in partnership with the patient, obtaining informed consent
• Contribute to the care of patients and their families at the end of life including management of symptoms; practical issues of law and certification, and safe and effective Teamworking
• Make effective use of computers and other information systems
• Demonstrate a problem solving approach within the team
• Be able to perform a range of therapeutic procedures, as listed by the GMC Outcomes for Graduates 2018
• Make an initial assessment of a patient’s problems and formulate a differential diagnosis
• Access reliable information about medication and provide this to the patient
• Understand and maintain patient confidentiality. Conform to data protection legislation and codes of practice in all dealings with information
• Demonstrate the ability to build positive working relationships in ways that best serve the interests of patients
• Communicate effectively by spoken, written and electronic methods
• Understand responsibilities for raising concerns about safety and quality such as adverse incident reporting
• Understand the contribution that effective interdisciplinary teamworking makes to the delivery of safe and high-quality care
• Interpret the results of investigations
• Interpret clinical findings, appreciating the importance of psychological, spirtual, religious, social and cultural factors
• Recognise and assess a sick patient
• Provide explanation, advice, reassurance and support
• Formulate management and discharge plans
• Communicate appropriately with support in difficult circumstances such as breaking bad news
• Make clinical decisions in conjunction with a qualified doctor on the clinical evidence available
• Develop safe strategies to deal with clinical uncertainty
• Deal effectively with uncertainty and change
• Understand and respect the roles of allied professionals
• Passing on information and handing over care effectively
• Calculate appropriate drug doses and provide a safe and legal prescription
• Diagnose and manage acute medical emergencies with senior support
• Promote, monitor and maintain health and safety in a clinical setting
• Define the most likely diagnosis or diagnoses having fully assessed the patient
• Demonstrate knowledge of therapeutics
• Plan drug therapy for common indications including pain and distress
• Recognise own personal and professional limits and seek help from senior colleagues and supervisors when necessary
• Select the appropriate forms of management for common diseases
• Place patient’s needs and safety at the centre of the care process
• Detect, manage and report adverse drug reactions with senior input
• Manage time and prioritise tasks
• Keep accurate, legible and complete clinical records

In order to meet the learning outcomes, students are likely to undertake the following:

• Taking, documenting and presenting patient histories
• Doing a full physical examination
• Formulating differential diagnoses and investigation plans
• Formulate management and discharge plans
• Performance of practical procedures under supervision
• Managing acute admissions under supervision
• Experience working in shifts and out of hours
• Managing patient administration under supervision
• Initiating drug and fluid prescribing which must be countersigned by a registered doctor
• Observe, rehearse and explore complex communication skills with an attending Foundation doctor or Assistantship supervisor
• Understand and use the Mental Capacity Act and confidentiality and consent in clinical practice

The module will be taught through a range of learning and teaching strategies which may include:

• Tutor led tutorials
• Guided self-study
• Personal learning logbook
• eLearning
• Patient based learning

Students will normally study for their assistantship through 2 weeks in medicine and 2 weeks in surgery.

Doctors work in shift patterns and rotas throughout much of their working lives and to prepare you for such working once you graduate, throughout your programme you will be expected to undertake placements in the evenings, at nights and at weekends. This will not be an onerous requirement and will be negotiated well in advance so that students with carers’ requirements will be able to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for cover

Within this module there may be some core/compulsory activities that will take place in the evenings, nights or weekends therefore students will commitments that will be affected by these should be pro-active in securing details of these activities well in advance of the start of the module. In addition, many non core learning opportunities will be available during these times and students are encouraged to take advantage of them

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.