Discipline:                  Oral Medicine
Centre:                       School of Dentistry
Lead Academic:        Dr Amanda Willis 
Pure Profile:              https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/amanda-willis

Clinical Supervisor:    Dr Amanda Willis

Prior to starting the placement
Oral Medicine is a discipline within dentistry which sits at the interface between dentistry and medicine and is concerned with the diagnosis and non-surgical management of patients with chronic, recurrent, and medically related disorders of the oral and maxillofacial region. Traditionally entry to the specialist list required dual qualification with both the GDC and the GMC. However, that is not now the case, although a significant number of Oral Medicine consultants hold dual registration. It has been estimated that approximately 90 per cent of systemic diseases have oral manifestations – be it mouth ulcers in Crohn’s disease, angular cheilitis in iron deficiency or xerostomia in diabetes.

Oral medicine is an out-patient specialty for the most part, with clinics involving referrals from primary dental and medical care. However, increasingly referrals are being received from medical specialties in secondary care, including rheumatology, gastroenterology, dermatology, GU medicine, neurology and psychiatry.

The importance of some dental knowledge by members of the medical profession has been widely acknowledged. Patients with oral complaints frequently consult with their GMP as there first port of call. It is apparent that there is variation in teaching of basic oral anatomy and mucosal conditions to medical students. Without appropriate teaching as medical students, physicians may be otherwise unprepared for patient encounters which involve management of orofacial conditions. Furthermore, a basic knowledge of dentistry by medical practitioners, as much as a basic knowledge of medicine by dentist practitioners, improves communication between the professions and creates a philosophy whereby doctors and dentists work together in the management of a range of orofacial disorders.

Whether you decide to pursue a career in academic medicine or work in primary care, this rotation will provide an invaluable opportunity to gain an understanding of the specialty of Oral Medicine and an invaluable insight into the diagnosis and management of a range of conditions that can affect the oral cavity, some of which are likely to present to you at some stage in your professional career.

Following your successful application, you are invited to visit the Oral Medicine Department in the Dental Hospital/School of Dentistry to discuss the placement with Dr Amanda Willis. This will help with planning a suitable project, teaching, and clinical exposure to the specialty of Oral Medicine.

Generic academic skills
This rotation will provide you with some insight to the role of a clinical academic. You will have opportunities to undertake an appropriate project, attend relevant dental teaching and also be involved in teaching aspects of medicine in its broadest sense to undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. You will also attend outpatient Oral Medicine Clinics and contribute to the activities of the clinical team. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine. It is hoped that the experience would inspire you to consider undertaking further academic activity during your training and perhaps also to contemplate a career as a clinical academic.

Academic Component
The placement will commence with a meeting with your supervisor to agree the educational and research objectives for this academic F2 placement. You will meet with your supervisor every month to discuss any projects you have been involved in and to receive feedback. to receive feedback.  This will involve using supervised learning events such as case-based discussions, mini clinical examinations, observation of teaching and procedural skills. You should arrange regular meetings with your supervisor and complete a meeting feedback form. 

The nature of the post is such that many of the activities can be tailored to your own particular areas of interest.

Research Skills
You will undertake a project in a subject area relevant to Oral Medicine. This may be a quality improvement project, a clinical topic, or relate to medical education. There will also be opportunities to undertake literature reviews, scientific writing and critical analysis. You will be strongly encouraged to present your work at an appropriate conference and publication in an appropriate journal.

Teaching Skills
You will be able to develop your teaching skills through didactic peer reviewed teaching to undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. There will also be opportunities to teach dental students in small groups basic clinical skills such as history taking and clinical examinations such as lymph node examinations and cranial nerve examinations.  There will also be the opportunity to attend consultant lead teaching with Oral Medicine Registrars every month. 

Clinical component
There will be F2 level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of management of conditions affecting the oral and maxillofacial region in an out-patient setting which will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars
You will be expected to attend monthly Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine audit meetings and the quarterly Clinicopathological Conference meetings with Pathology, with the expectation to present at one of these meetings.

Provisional job plans
These indicative job plans have been designed to introduce the successful candidate to the specialty and practice of Oral Medicine. There will be individualisation of the attachment for trainee’s dependent on previous research experience and ultimate career wishes. There will be desk space and a personal computer for use in the unit. Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to our practice.

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5	Column 6
a.m.	Oral Medicine Clinic	Oral Medicine Clinic	Oral Medicine Clinic	Research	Oral Medicine Clinic
p..m.	Oral Medicine Clinic	Research	Oral Medicine Clinic	Oral Medicine Clinic	Research

 

Discipline:                  Ophthalmology 

Centre:                       Centre for Medical Education

Lead Academic:        Dr Michael A Williams

Pure Profile:              https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/michael-williams

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Ophthalmology Department at the earliest opportunity to discuss the forthcoming placement with Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic experience.

Generic academic skills

Undertaking an academic F2 placement will offer you insights into clinical academic medicine. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

Academic component

On joining the Ophthalmology Department you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback during regular supervisory meetings from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved. This will be in the form of hour long weekly meetings with Dr Williams, face to face if COVID related restrictions allow..

Research skills

1. A research project will be undertaken in an area relevant to medical education or ophthalmology. If possible, the research project could form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national or international meeting.
2. Research training: With guidance it is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate results and practise scientific writing; present data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation).
3. Mentorship: You will have access to a clinical academic staff member (Dr Williams) who is available to provide longer-term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills

You will be expected to spend a half to one day delivering teaching. This will provide excellent experience, opportunities for feedback and learning  - and is highly enjoyable!

1. In Ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

- You be encouraged to participate in teaching of QUB 3^rd year medical students as they rotate through ophthalmology, in providing a weekly 2-hour face to face tutorial using teaching material already available. Opportunities for direct supervision (‘peer review’) by academic supervisors will allow feedback to improve your teaching confidence and competence.

- During your clinical sessions, you will be expected to deliver clinical teaching.

2. In CSEC and InterSIm

Opportunities on offer during the academic year in CSEC and InterSim include:

• Regular teaching sessions in clinical skills
• Peer review of teaching 
• OSCE training and potential to examine in an OSCE 
• Certificate for the AFP2 portfolio  

Further information on this will be available on these opportunities at induction. 

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars

There is a weekly two hour regional ophthalmology postgraduate class and monthly audit meeting, at which clinical cases and topics are discussed, and often guest speakers give talks. You will be expected to attend this when possible.

There is also a weekly specialty specific teaching session on uveitis., lasting half and hour.

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of management of acute and chronic ophthalmic diseases in outpatient settings where you will see new and review patients. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBD formats. Tuition will also be provided on appropriate construction of letters to fellow health professional and patients (an important generic skill). There may be opportunities to attend surgical sessions, and you will have responsibilities to cover ward work at times. It will also be expected that you will be preparing for Part 1 of a postgraduate exam diet, such as MRCP, MRCS or MRCOphth during the Academic F2 year.

Provisional job plans 

Example Template

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5	Column 6
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting: review of  progress/plans +/- teaching	Retinal Vein Occlusion Clinic	Project work	Uveitis Clinic	Eye Casualty
p.m.	Eye Casualty	Project work	Project work =/- helping to facilitate Simulated Eye Clinic  content	General out-patient clinic or ward cover or clinical trials-related work	Postgraduate Class

 

 

 

Discipline:                          Medical Education / Clinical Skills

Centre:                                Clinical Skills Education Centre (CSEC) Queen’s University Belfast within the Centre for Medical Education (CME).

Lead Academic:                 Dr D Wilson and Prof Gerry Gormley 

Pure Profile:                      https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/diane-wilson

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/gerard-gormley

OUTLINE

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application you should contact the academic supervisor to discuss your forthcoming placement.  This will help with planning a suitable research / educational project and developing your academic experience.  

Overall goal of placement: The primary aim of this placement is to develop your understanding of the main principles of effective medical education. This will be provided by both theoretical instruction and practical experience of the medical degree programme at Queen’s University Belfast. There will be a particular focus on clinical skills and simulation. To date we have had a number of AFPs placements in medical education. Overwhelmingly this placement has been viewed as a positive experience by our previous AFPs. We have a track record of AFPs translating their work into scholarly outputs such as conference presentations and publications.

Key learning objectives of placement:

• Curriculum design and development: You have the opportunity to gain a greater insight to aspects of curricular design, review and development
• Teaching delivery: You will have many opportunities to teach medical students both within a small and large group setting. The main focus will be on teaching clinical skills to small groups in the Clinical Skills Education Centre. This can vary during the academic year but will equate to approx. 2-4 sessions per week. You will be given instruction in the qualities of delivering effective education and receive peer review.
• Assessment and student progress: You will gain an insight into the various assessment methods used in medical education. There will be opportunity to design an OSCE station and receive training to be an accredited OSCE examiner
• Student support: You will gain some exposure to why some students come in to difficulty during their studies. You will also gain an insight into how they are managed and supported through this time.
• Scholarly activity: You will have the opportunity to get involved in aspects of scholarly activity in medical education such as presenting at a journal club and involvement in faculty development activities and quality improvement processes.  There is also the possibly of gaining some exposure to medical education research with the potential of contributing to a research project. We would be keen that individuals in this post work towards having an abstract presented at a scientific meeting.
• Use of technology supporting medical education: You will have the opportunity to gain experience in using various technologies used in delivering medical education (e.g. eLearning, simulation based learning, video feedback analysis)

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars

You will offered the opportunity to attend medical education research training sessions in the Centre for Medical Education (CME). There are also opportunities to attend medical education journal clubs throughout the academic year.

Experience in Clinical Skills Education Centre (CSEC)

You will have an opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience in CSEC. 

Opportunities on offer

• To date, many AFP2 (associated in research positions) have gained valuable teaching experience in CSEC. 

• Regular teaching sessions in clinical skills – with formal induction and debrief
• Peer review of teaching
• OSCE training and potential to examine in an OSCE
• Certificate for the AFP2 portfolio 

Teaching sessions on offer 

• Teaching usually occurs on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon  - during the academic year
• There are also other teaching sessions on during the week

There are also many other opportunities in teaching in the Centre for Medical Education such as Case based faciltation roles  

Further information on these opportunities will be provided at induction by Dr Diane Wilson and Prof Gerry Gormley

Supervision process

On the first day of your placement you will have an induction and appraisal session with your academic supervisor(s). During this session you will be provided with the key outcomes of your placement and familiarized with your working environment and operational processes. Throughout your placement you will have regular meetings with your supervisor(s) to ensure your academic competencies are being achieved. You will meet with your academic supervisor on a fortnightly basis, and attend  regular informal meetings throughout your time in CSEC. You will also be provided with a series of key academic publications and reading material relating to medical education that you will be expected to read during your attachment.
Clinical component

There will be no clinical component in this 4 month attachment, although you may be included in an on-call rota. If desired ‘taster sessions’ in other specialities maybe arranged.

Provisional job plan

This job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to the major areas of medical education. The plan will vary from week-week. This is largely dependent on the medical curriculum being delivered during your time in the Centre for Medical Education and the Clinical Skills Education Centre.

Discipline:                        Medical Education / Acute Internal Medicine 

Centre:                              Centre for Medical Education

Lead Academic:                Michael Trimble 

Pure Profile:                      https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/michael-trimble

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the team at Centre for Medical Education and Acute Medicine Unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast at the earliest opportunity to discuss the forthcoming placement with Academic and Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic experience.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisor and other University staff. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career

Academic component

On joining the team you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved. The school is currently developing and implementing a new curriculum (C25) for undergraduate medicine and you will have the opportunity to be involved in this process. The C25 curriculum has utilized case-based learning (CBL) in years 1 to 4 of the course and the materials for year 3 CBL will need to be updated.

Research skills

A current major area of interest is development of teaching materials in clinical reasoning. The application of clinical reasoning theory to ethical decision-making is also an area of interest. There will be opportunity to pursue a qualitative research project in this area.  

This attachment will also help you understand the governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; practice scientific writing; and develop presentation skills.

During your attachment, you will have access to an experienced clinical academic staff member who will be available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine

Teaching skills

The Acute Medicine Unit has both undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching of Internal Medicine to 3rd year medical students (seminar and ward-based clinical teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisor with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.

You will be encouraged to participate in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and writing Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Instruction in assessment methodology will be provided.

Formal postgraduate education includes weekly case-based learning, research and clinical governance sessions held in the Acute Medicine Unit.

Clinical component

If desired, clinical experience will be available in the Acute Medicine Unit (AMU) at the Royal Victoria Hospital. There will be ample opportunity to review the diagnostic process in action as there is a consultant present in the unit from 0800 to 1600 daily with additional evening consultant post-take ward rounds

Provisional job plan

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Clinical (AMU) or Project work	Clinical (AMU) or Project work	Project work	Weekly academic meeting /review of progress /plans	Medical student teaching (3rd year)
p.m.	Project work	Project work	Unit x-ray meeting	Medical student teaching (1st / 2nd  year	Project work

 

Discipline:                  Chemical Pathology / Metabolic Medicine

Centre:                       Centre for Medical Education

Lead Academic:        Dr Paul Hamilton

Pure Profile:              https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/paul-hamilton

Prior to starting the placement

Following your successful application, you will be invited to discuss your rotation with Dr Hamilton. Chemical pathology and metabolic medicine are far-reaching disciplines that cut across the traditional organ- and age-specific divides of most medical specialties. Your attachment will be tailored to your particular interests, but could include exposure to any of the following subject areas: general clinical biochemistry, lipids and cardiovascular risk (including genetic lipid disorders), osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease, diabetes mellitus, inherited metabolic disease, disorders of nutrition, and medical education.

Generic academic skills

This rotation will give you a taste of a career in clinical academic medicine. You will have opportunities to conduct research, teach and contribute to the activities of the clinical team. It is hoped that the experience would inspire you to consider undertaking further academic activity during your training and perhaps also to contemplate a career as a clinical academic. Regular meetings will take place with your supervisor and feedback will be provided. 

Academic component

You will have an early meeting with your supervisor to discuss your educational objectives for the post. The nature of the post is such that many of the activities can be tailored to your own particular areas of interest. You will have regular contact with your supervisor throughout the attachment, and will engage in assessments to ensure that academic competencies are achieved.

Research skills

You will undertake a research project in a subject area relevant to chemical pathology / metabolic medicine. This may be focused on a laboratory aspect, a clinical topic, or relate to medical education. It would be anticipated that the research carried out would be written up for presentation at a medical conference +/- publication in a journal.

You will have the opportunity to undertake training in research methodology that will prepare you for future projects that you might be involved in. Examples include ‘Good Clinical Practice’ training and learning how to undertake a literature review.

You will access to the local team of consultants in Chemical Pathology and to Dr Hamilton who is a clinical academic staff member who can provide guidance for your future career.

Teaching skills

You will be able to develop your teaching skills. It is envisaged that you will be involved in delivering teaching to undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors and biomedical scientists. You will be trained in, and develop experience in, facilitating case based learning to first/second year medical students. You will be expected to attend and occasionally present at the fortnightly team educational meeting.

Clinical component

The clinical component can also be tailored to your interests. Available opportunities include lipid clinics, osteoporosis clinics, diabetes clinics, inherited metabolic disease clinics, and exposure to disorders of nutrition through inpatient nutrition ward rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings. You will also be exposed to the work of a duty biochemist which includes handling referrals from primary and secondary care. Through these experiences, you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas which will be helpful to you whichever branch of medicine you end up in. You will be expected to record F2 competencies using standard feedback tools. You will develop your skills in medical letter-writing and correspondence with primary care. You will be encouraged to prepare for postgraduate examinations in your chosen discipline.

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars

You will be invited to attend professional development seminars which are run at regular intervals in the Centre for Medical Education, and clinical professional development events in the hospital.

Teaching Skills with Centre for Medical Education

To date, many trainees have gained valuable teaching experience in CSEC.    

Opportunities on offer

• Regular teaching sessions in clinical skills – with formal induction and debrief
• Peer review of teaching
• OSCE training and potential to examine in an OSCE
• Certificate for the AFP2 portfolio 

Teaching sessions on offer

• Teaching usually occurs on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon  - during the academic year
• There are also other teaching sessions on during the week
• There are also many other opportunities in teaching in the Centre for Medical Education 
• To ensure a rich experience we would recommend at least 1 session per week were possible

Further information on this will be available on these opportunities at induction. 

Provisional job plan

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Lipid clinic	Laboratory experience	Project work	Osteoporosis clinic	Diabetes clinic
p.m.	Project Work	Project Work	Project Work	Project Work	Duty Biochemist/ clinic administration

Discipline: Assessment of Medical Education                     

Centre: Centre for Medical Education                     

Lead Academic: Dr Kathy Cullen and Dr Vikki O’Neill

Pure Profile: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/kathy-cullen         https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/vikki-oneill

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you will be invited to visit the Centre for Medical Education at the earliest opportunity to discuss the forthcoming placement with the Academic Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research / educational project and developing your academic experience. 

The primary aim of this placement is to develop your understanding of the main principles of effective assessment in medical education. This will be achieved through both theoretical instruction and practical involvement in the assessments that take place in the Medical School at Queen’s University Belfast.

Generic academic skills

Undertaking a Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) placement will offer you many insights into academic medicine through regular interactions with both the Academic and Clinical Academic Supervisors and other University staff. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

Academic component

At the start of your placement you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives. You will receive feedback during regular supervisory meetings from your supervisors throughout the placement with regular reviews to ensure the academic competencies are achieved. You will be involved in exam question writing, standard setting and review as well as ‘road-testing’ of OSCE stations and examiner training.

Research skills

The medical school at Queen’s is currently developing and implementing a new curriculum for undergraduate medicine. As part of this new curriculum, the School has introduced Progress Testing as a new means of assessment. Therefore, a current major area of interest is in the development of both resources and research output on this assessment method. A second area of interest is in student feedback. The Medical School recently came first in the UK rankings for Assessment and Feedback and you will have the opportunity to be involved in this process.

A research project will be undertaken in an area relevant to medical assessment. You will receive guidance on a number of research project tasks, for example: learning about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertaking a literature review; analysing data; presenting results; scientific writing; developing a poster and/or oral presentation. It is intended that the research project will be submitted to a national or international meeting, if possible.

During your placement, you will have access to experienced academic staff members who are available to provide advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills

You will be encouraged to participate in the teaching given by the Centre for Medical Education. This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisor with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence. Additionally, you will be encouraged to participate in the development of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and writing Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Instruction in assessment methodology will be provided.

There will be an opportunity to teach on the Clinical Consolidation programme which is designed to help students who have failed clinical exams or who are struggling.

Clinical Component

Clinical experience will be in the Respiratory Unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital for at least one day per week. This can be flexible depending on your interests and could include clinic experience, ward cover and practical procedures.

Provisional Job Plans

Column 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting: review of  progress/plans	Project Work	Preparing Assessment Materials (MCQs / OSCEs)	Clinical work	Preparing Teaching Materials
p.m.	Project Work	Teaching	Attendance at Assessment Meetings	Clinical work	Private study / CPD

 

 

Discipline:                       Health profession simulation

Centre:                               Clinical Skills Education Centre (CSEC), Centre for Medical Education, Queen’s University Belfast.

Lead Academics:          Professor Gerry Gormley & Dr Davina Carr (Davina.Carr@qub.ac.uk )

Pure Profile:                    https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/gerard-gormley

Prior to starting the placement

Following a successful application, you should contact your academic supervisor to discuss your forthcoming placement. This will help with planning a suitable research project and developing your academic experience.

Overview

Simulation is an important learning modality in health professions education. In this SFP2 placement, we offer an exciting opportunity for a foundation programme doctor to gain experience in simulation-based education. Located in the Clinical Skills Education Centre (CSEC) at QUB, we provide a wide range of experiences in simulation practice and theory – including :

• Simulation scenario design
• Simulation scenario delivery to a range of health profession students
• Pre-briefing - Debriefing
• Experience with advanced manikin practice
• Simulated participant methodology

We have a thriving scholarship practice in simulation. The successful SFP2 candidate will have an opportunity to contribute to this community and work towards academic outputs, including publication and conference presentation. Most importantly, we will provide hands-on experience in contributing to medical student training through a range of simulated activities, including medical emergencies, mental health crises, and challenging conversation scenarios. During this placement, you will receive one-on-one supervision, induction, peer review of teaching, and mentorship

Clinical component

There is no formal clinical component in this attachment. However, the successful candidate can be provided with taster sessions in specialities of their choice. Your supervisor will provide you with a strong level of support and will provide you with every opportunity to gain the very best experience from this placement. You should arrange regular meetings with your supervisor and complete a meeting feedback form. This will take the form of teaching peer review and debriefs following teaching.

Provisional job plan

This job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to the major areas of medical education. The plan will vary from week-week. This is largely dependent on the medical curriculum being delivered during your time in the Clinical Skills Education Centre.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
am	Scholarship session	Journal club / training in simulation practice	Simulation teaching session	Simulation teaching session	Scholarship session
pm	Clinical taster session	Simulation teaching session	Simulation teaching session	Simulation club with medical students	Simulation teaching session

Discipline:               Oncology

Centre:                     PGJCCR

Lead Academic:      Dr Richard Turkington

Pure Profile:            https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/richard-turkington 

Prior to starting the placement
Following successful application, you are invited to visit the N. Ireland Cancer Centre to discuss the placement with your Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic exposure. 

Supervision
You should arrange regular meetings with your supervisor throughout your placement and complete a meeting feedback form.  Meetings should occur face to face and weekly at the relevant supervisor’s office.

Generic academic skills
By undertaking an academic F2 placement, you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with your supervisors, other clinical academics, consultants active in research and education, QUB scientific and educational staff, postgraduate research students and clinical research professionals. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career in any discipline.

Academic component
The placement will commence with an appraisal meeting with your main supervisors to review your learning portfolio to date and to agree the educational and research objectives for this academic F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisors throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved.

Research skills

1. A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to solid tumours. This will be based in the context of one or more clinical trials or translational research studies.  The project will be supervised by one or two experienced clinical academics.  If possible, the research project could form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting.
2. Research training: It is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the ethical, regulatory and NHS governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate laboratory results; practise scientific writing; present data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to work in all the clinical areas for Medical and Clinical Oncology, in the laboratories based close by in the QUB Centre for Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research and in the N. Ireland Cancer Clinical Trials Network. Trainees will assist in current clinical trials and will receive training in the basics of clinical trial and translational research methodology, ethics and governance.
3. Mentorship: You will have access to experienced clinical academic staff in oncology (Professor Joe O’Sullivan, Dr Seamus McAleer, Dr Richard Turkington, Prof Vicky Coyle and Prof Suneil Jain). All are available to provide longer-term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills
Oncology has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching programmes that we run for 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th year medical students (seminars, tutorials, lectures, clinic and ward based teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisors with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve both your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly case and topic based learning, and education on the basic, translational and clinical science base in malignant disease. These  sessions will be held in the 4 wards and radiotherapy facilities in the Cancer Centre, Bridgewater Suite and the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research and the N. Ireland Cancer Clinical Trials Network.

Clinical component
There will be F2 level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of management of malignant diseases in both the in- and out-patient setting with attendance in wards and at clinics where you will be expected to see new and review patients in both clinical trials and standard care in oncology. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBL formats. Tuition will also be provided on appropriate communication with fellow health professionals and patients including construction of dictated letters (an important generic skill). It will also be expected that you will be preparing for and sitting the Part 1 MRCP exam or equivalent during the Academic F2 year.

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars
Seminars at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research occur at Thursday lunchtime and students will be expected to attend. These seminars are led by invited speakers and cover a broad range of research topics. The NI Cancer Centre Grand Rounds is held on Friday mornings and has a more clinical focus. Students are expected to attend either in person or virtually.

Provisional job plans
These indicative job plans have been designed to introduce the successful candidate to major areas of clinical and academic aspects in non-surgical oncology using systemic therapies and radiotherapy. There will be individualisation of the attachment for trainees dependent on previous research experience and ultimate career wishes, but neither previous research nor a desire to work with patients with malignant disease long-term are mandatory. Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to our practice.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	PGJCCR research	Chemotherapy Clinic	Clinical Education	PGJCCR research	Multidisciplinary Meeting
p.m.	PGJCCR research	PGJCCR research	PGJCCR research	New Patient/Review Clinic	PGJCCR research

 

Discipline:                  Breast Surgery

Centre:                       Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research

Lead Academic:        Mr Stuart McIntosh

Pure Profile:             https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/stuart-mcintosh

Prior to starting the placement

This placement will provide an excellent opportunity to gain experience in academic surgical oncology, with particular emphasis on the field of breast cancer.

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Breast Surgery Unit and the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at the earliest opportunity to discuss the forthcoming placement with Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and developing your academic experience.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic surgery through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes in academic surgery and to foster interest in a long-term career as a clinical academic.

During the 4-month placement

Academic component

On joining the Breast Surgery Unit, there will be an initial appraisal to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the four month attachment, with regular assessment to ensure that academic competencies are being achieved.

Research skills

1. A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to breast surgery. These may include areas such as the genetics of breast cancer and the management of high-risk women, the pre-surgical treatment of breast cancer, or outcomes of breast reconstruction surgery. It is envisaged that the research project should form the basis of a presentation to a national or international meeting.
2. Research training: with guidance it is expected that you will develop the competencies to complete a number of research project tasks (for example: learn about the research governance processes relevant to clinical research in surgical oncology; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate data; practice scientific writing; develop presentation skills by presenting data in an abstract, as a poster and/or as an oral presentation).
3. Mentorship: you will have access to experienced clinical academic staff who will be available to provide longer-term advice and encouragement to help you to pursue a career in academic surgery.

Teaching skills

In both breast and general surgery there are both undergraduate and postgraduate training opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching of breast surgery to third year medical students (both small-group and out-patient and theatre-based clinical teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisor, with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education will include weekly multidisciplinary team meetings, audit and educational meetings held within the breast unit, and the opportunity to attend relevant seminars within the CCRCB Seminar Series.

Clinical component

There will be F2 level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment, as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk).  You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of the diagnosis and investigation of breast symptoms, at a weekly one-stop diagnostic breast clinic, where you will be expected to see and assess new patients under supervision. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBD formats. Similarly, the breast reconstruction clinic will provide experience in a technically demanding area of surgical oncology, and again will provide excellent opportunities for workplace-based assessments. Attendance at a weekly operating list will also be a part of the job plan, which will allow insight into the surgical management of breast cancer, as well as the opportunity to develop basic surgical skills including tissue handling and suturing.

Provisional job plan

This job plan has been developed to allow the successful candidate to gain experience and exposure in all the major aspects of breast surgical oncology.

 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting – review of progress/plans (Mr McIntosh)	Medical student teaching	Project work	Lab group meeting	Theatre list
p.m.	Project work	Project work	Project work	CPD for foundation doctors/Out-patient clinic	Multidisciplinary meeting

 

Discipline:                   Endocrinology/Nutrition

Centre:                        Centre for Public Health/Regional Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes

Lead Academic:          Dr Jayne Woodside /Dr Karen Mullan

Pure Profile:               https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/jayne-woodside

Prior to starting the placement

Following a successful application, you should contact the academic supervisor to discuss your forthcoming placement.  This will help with planning a suitable research project and developing your academic experience.  An interest in diet and health research and awareness of potential for nutritional intake to be associated with health outcomes.

Generic academic skills

Nutrition research methods; literature searching; scientific writing; statistical analysis.

Supervision process

Your supervisor will provide you with a strong level of support and will provide you with every opportunity to gain the very best experience from this placement.  You should arrange regular meetings with your supervisor and complete a meeting feedback form, including key action points, after each meeting. 

Academic component

This rotation will be based around analysis of previously conducted data collection surrounding iodine and health outcomes, iodine status, and the determinants of iodine status within surveys already conducted by previous clinical research fellows during pregnancy, in schoolgirls, and using routinely collected clinical data.   The applicant will work with Dr Karen Mullan, Consultant Endocrinologist and Professor Jayne Woodside, Professor of Human Nutrition, who have worked together on iodine research over the last ten years (see recent review link below).  Development of the research question according to the specific interests of the applicant will be possible.

Woodside JV, Mullan KR. Iodine status in UK-An accidental public health triumph gone sour. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2021 Apr;94(4):692-699.

Research skills

Nutrition and epidemiological research methods; statistical analysis; literature searching; scientific writing; critical analysis.

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars

CPH has regular seminars which those on placement will be encouraged to attend.  The nutrition group within CPH also have monthly meetings throughout the academic year, while the Regional Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes also hold regular research and clinical update meetings.

Clinical component

The project has close links with the Regional Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes.

Provisional job plans

Example Template (1-2 clinical sessions per week likely within Endocrinology and Diabetes)

 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Research	Clinical	Research	Research	Clinical
p.m.	Research	Research	Research	Research	Research

 

 

Discipline:       Public Health 

Centre:             Public Health           

Lead Academic:  Professor Frank Kee

Pure Profile:    https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/frank-kee

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Centre for Public Health to discuss the forthcoming placement with Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic exposure.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into academic public health through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic public health and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

Academic component

On joining the Centre for Public Health, you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved.

Research skills

1. A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to public health. These include areas such as cardiovascular, renal and social epidemiology; health services research; cancer prevention; public health programme evaluation in areas such as screening, health improvement and health protection and communicable disease control. If possible, the research project could form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting
2. Research training: With guidance, it is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate and analyse survey data; practise scientific writing; presentation of data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to visit the various divisions of the Public Health Agency and a variety of statutory and non statutory bodies with which it works.
3. Mentorship: You will have access to experienced clinical academic staff (Professor Kee) and the support of key trainers and their staff in the Public Health Agency, who are available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic public health.

Teaching skills

Public Health has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching of epidemiology and public health to 2nd year medical students (seminar and class-based teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisors with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly case-based learning, research seminars and journal clubs held in the Centre for Public Health as well as governance and audit sessions in the Public Health Agency.

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of a variety of disciplines that work in partnership in public health (including epidemiology, statistics, health economics, social sciences) and a population approach to disease control and health improvement in communities. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBL formats. You will also be given tuition on the fundamentals of good scientific writing. It will also be expected that you will be preparing for and sitting the Part 1 MRCP exam or equivalent during the Academic F2 year.

Provisional job plans

This job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to the major areas of public health practice.  There will be a dedicated desk and personal computer for use in the unit.  Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the familiarization and training you will receive on a variety of regional surveys and databases.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting-review of  progress/plans	Health Improvement /PHA	Teaching experience	Screening and Service Improvement/PHA	Project work: Literature review and writing
p.m.	Health Protection/PHA	Project work	Research meeting (Prof. Kee)	CPD for foundation doctors lecture program	Project work: Literature review and writing

 

 

Discipline:                   Ophthalmology
Centre:                         Centre for Biomedical Sciences Education
Lead Academic:          Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco 
Pure Profile:                https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/augusto-azuara-blanco

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Ophthalmology Department and Centre for Public Health (CPH) to discuss the forthcoming placement with Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic exposure.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

During the 4 month placement

Academic component

On joining CPH you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved.

Research skills

A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to Ophthalmology in which the Centre for Public Health including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein obstruction, glaucoma, cornea, inherited retinal diseases, and low vision.  There is academic expertise in the following areas:

• Experimental models
• Epidemiology
• Genetics
• Evidence synthesis
• Diagnostic technologies
• Global Eye Health
• Medical education
• Clinical trials

If possible, the research project could form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting or a publication.

1. Research training: With guidance it is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate biochemical and/or genetic results; practise scientific writing; presentation of data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to visit the associated laboratories and research areas with links to Ophthalmology.  If interested there is also the possibility of undertaking research in medical education. 
   
   
2. Mentorship:  Professor Azuara-Blanco will be the first contact during the F2.  You will have access to experienced clinical academic staff (Prof Tunde Peto, Professor Augusto-Azuara Blanco, Professor Noemi Lois, Prof. Nathan Congdon, Dr Michael Williams, Dr. Ruth Hogg), and clinicians with active research portfolios, Miss Giuliana Silvestri and Professor Jonathan Jackson..  Senior scientific staff (Prof A Stitt, Prof Heping Xu, Dr David Simpson, Dr Tim Curtis, and Dr Denise McDonald) are also available to provide advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills

Ophthalmology has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching of Ophthalmology to 3^rd year medical students both in the core curriculum and SSC programme – depending on the time of year (seminar and outpatient clinical teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisors with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly postgraduate class which includes case based learning and guest speaker (on Fridays p.m.) and weekly Journal clubs (on Tuesdays). 

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of management of diseases in an outpatient setting, eye casualty, inpatient management and observation in theatre. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBL formats. Tuition will also be provided on appropriate construction of dictated letters to fellow health professional and patients (an important generic skill).

Provisional job plan

This job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to major areas of clinical and academic Ophthalmology, but could be adapted to the interest of the candidate.  The clinical components of the attachment will be tailored to reflect the needs of the project which you choose to undertake. There will be a communal computer for use in the unit’s resident’s room. Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to ophthalmology practice.

Column 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting-review of  progress/plans (Project supervisor)	Outpatient Clinic _________ 12.45pm Journal Club OPH	Outpatient Clinic	Project work	Project work:   Literature review and writing
p.m.	Outpatient Clinic	Project work	Eye Casualty	Project Work/ F2 Training – NIMDTA/Trust	Postgraduate Class

 

Discipline:                              Ageing / Elderly Care Medicine / Psychiatry of Old Age
Centre:                                   Centre for Public Health
Lead Academic:                     Dr Emma Cunningham
Pure Profile:                           https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/emma-cunningham 

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Ageing Group, which is comprised of Clinical Academics specialising in Geriatric Medicine and Psychiatry of Old Age and discuss your interests and aims for your placement. This will help with planning a suitable research project, clinical role, and academic exposure. You will agree on a set of academic objectives for your placement.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

Academic component

On joining the Group you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved. You are encouraged to enrol for the Certificate/Diploma in Academic Medicine although this is not compulsory.

Research skills

A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to ageing. These include areas such as cognitive assessment in mild cognitive impairment and dementia, the role of risk factors in dementia and the prevention of dementia. If possible, the research project could form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting.

 

Research training: With guidance it is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance and ethical issues relevant to clinical academic research; learn about ICH/GCP; learning about capacity and consent in people with cognitive disorders; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate biochemical and/or genetic results; practice scientific writing; presentation of data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to get involved with current research projects e.g. cognitive testing in NICOLA, role of inflammation in mild cognitive impairment and dementia, use of EEG as a biomarker of dementia, role of delirium in predicting subsequent dementia. There will also be the opportunity to avail of training in the use of clinical research assessment tools. This could take place in the setting of a research project and will include training in the use of  a range of clinical research scales eg cognition, depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living and disease staging scales.

Mentorship: Professor Passmore, Professor McGuinness, Dr Cunningham and Dr Kane will be available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

 

Teaching Skills 

Geriatric medicine and Psychiatry of Old Age has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching programme in year 4 and year 5 (seminar and ward-based clinical teaching). This teaching will be directly observed by your academic supervisors with multiple opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. You will have opportunities to participate in the teaching of Student Selected Component (SSC), such as “Movies, Myths and Mental Illness”.
3. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly case-based learning, research and clinical governance sessions held in the University Department and Elderly Care Unit.

You will be encouraged to participate in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and writing Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Instruction in assessment methodology will be provided.

Provisional Job Plan

There is flexibility within the schedule below to accommodate your interests and learning objectives. The schedule could also be modified to accommodate Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training and trainees that wish to work remotely. There will be a dedicated desk and personal computer for use in the unit. Training in library and journal access will be provided. 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Weekly academic meeting - review of  progress/plans	NICRN  Dementia/ Clinical Trials experience	Audit work. Seminar	Project work	Project work:   Literature Review and writing
p.m.	Project work	Teaching	Clinical experience	Project work	Project work

 

Discipline:                Respiratory
Centre:                      Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Education
Lead Academic:        Prof C O’Kane
Pure Profile:             https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/cecilia-okane

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to visit the Regional Respiratory Centre to discuss the placement with Academic Clinical Supervisors. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic exposure.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Academic Clinical Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

During the 4 month placement

Academic component

On joining the Wellcome Wolfson for Experimental Medicine you will have an appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved.

Research skills

1. A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to respiratory medicine. These include tuberculosis, difficult or atypical infection (including non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection), bronchiectasis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis, asthma, chronic cough and COPD.  The project will be supervised by an experienced clinical academic.  Ideally, the research project will form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting.
2. Research training: It is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate laboratory results; practise scientific writing; presentation of data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to spend some time in the respiratory research group laboratories in the Centre for Experimental Medicine. Trainees may also assist in current clinical trials and receive training in the basics of trial methodology, ethics and governance.
3. Mentorship: You will have access to experienced clinical academic staff (Professor Heaney, Professor McAuley, Prof McGarvey, Prof O’Kane, Dr Downey) who are available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine

Teaching skills

Respiratory medicine has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will be encouraged to participate in the undergraduate teaching of 1^st and 2^nd year medical students (seminar and ward-based clinical teaching). This teaching may be directly observed by your academic supervisors or other staff from the Centre for Medical Education with opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly research group meetings, research and clinical governance sessions held in the within the CEM or within the wider team’s clinical trial groups.

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of management of chronic diseases in an outpatient setting with attendance at a weekly teaching clinic where you will be expected to see new patients and some review patients. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBL formats. Tuition will also be provided on appropriate construction of dictated letters to fellow health professional and patients (an important generic skill). It will also be expected that you will be preparing for and sitting the Part 1 MRCP exam or equivalent during the Academic F2 year.

Provisional job plan

This job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to major areas of clinical and academic respiratory medicine. Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to respiratory practice.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Respiratory Clinic (BCH, Prof O’Kane)	Research group meeting Progress Meeting	Clinical Trials	Project work	Teaching
p.m.	Project work	Project work	Clinical Trials	CPD/ Literature Review	Project work

 

Discipline:                  Intensive Care Medicine
Centre:                       Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
Lead Academic:        Professor DF McAuley
Pure Profile:              https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/danny-mcauley
Clinical Supervisor: Dr J McNamee

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you are invited to contact your Academic and Clinical Supervisors to discuss the placement. This will help with planning a suitable research project and academic exposure.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Supervisors, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

During the 4 month placement

Academic component

The placement will commence with an appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will receive feedback from your supervisor throughout the 4-month attachment with regular assessment to ensure academic competencies are achieved. You are encouraged to enrol for the Certificate/Diploma in Academic Medicine although this is not compulsory.

Research skills

1. A research project can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to intensive care medicine. These include the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), delirium, sepsis and nosocomial infection. The project will be supervised by an experienced clinical academic. The research project will form the basis of an abstract to be submitted to a national meeting and if possible a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
2. Research training: It is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks (learn about the research governance issues relevant to clinical academic research; undertake a literature review; interrogate a database; collate laboratory results; practise scientific writing; presentation of data in an abstract, as a poster and/or oral presentation). To assist in this we have planned for academic F2 doctors to visit the Centre for Experimental Medicine (CEM) research laboratories. Trainees will assist in current clinical trials and will receive training in the basics of trial methodology, ethics and governance.
3. Mentorship: You will have access to experienced academic and clinical staff (Prof McAuley, Dr O’Kane, Dr J McNamee, Dr M Shyamsundar, Dr Jon Silversides and Dr R McMullan) who are available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine

Teaching skills

Intensive Care medicine has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities.

1. You will participate in the undergraduate teaching of medical students (seminars, clinical skills and ward-based clinical teaching). This teaching will be directly observed with opportunities for feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education includes weekly journal clubs and seminars, as well as research and clinical governance sessions held in the Regional Intensive Care Unit and in CEM.

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to expand your knowledge of intensive care medicine through participating in ICU consultant ward rounds. This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBL formats. It will also be expected that you will be preparing for and sitting the MRCP exam or equivalent during the Academic F2 year.

Provisional job plan

This indicative job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to major areas of clinical and academic intensive care medicine. There will be a dedicated desk for your use in CEM.  Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to the clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to intensive care medicine practice.

Column 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	Project Work	CEM Labs	Clinical Trials	ICM clinical	ICM clinical
p.m.	Progress meeting ARDS research meeting	CPD/Literature Review	Project Work	Project Work	Teaching in CME

 

Discipline:                  Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Medicine
Centre:                        Wellcome- Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
Lead Academic:         Prof Damian Downey  
Pure Profile:               https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/damian-downey

Prior to starting the placement

Following your successful application you are advised to visit the Northern Ireland Regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre in the Belfast City Hospital. You will be able to discuss your forthcoming placement with the Clinical and Clinical Academic Supervisors. This is to ensure a suitable research project is chosen and that the academic F2 requirements will be met.

Generic academic skills

By undertaking an academic F2 placement you will gain insights into clinical academic medicine through regular interactions with the Clinical Academic Supervisor, University scientific staff and postgraduate research students. This placement is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitudes for academic medicine and to foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career.

Academic component

On joining the Northern Ireland Regional Adult CF Centre you will have an initial appraisal meeting to review your learning portfolio and agree the educational objectives for this F2 placement. You will meet face to face with Prof Downey on a weekly basis. These regular assessments will ensure academic competencies are met and that your agreed project is on target for completion during your 4-month attachment.

Research skills

1. Project. A research project can be chosen in a number of areas in CF and bronchiectasis as there are multiple active areas of research. These include microbiology database analysis, clinical trial experience, bench microbiology and inflammatory marker work. It would be expected that the work generated would form the basis of an abstract to an international meeting and/or a short report to a journal.
2. Research Training. With guidance it is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks, learn about the clinical research governance issues, undertake a literature review, interrogate a database, collate clinical and microbiological data, practise scientific writing, present data in an abstract and a poster/oral presentation.
3. Mentorship. You will have access to a clinical academic staff member (Prof D Downey) who is available to provide longer term advice and encouragement to help you pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills

Cystic Fibrosis and bronchiectasis have active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities. There are multiple medical students attached to the respiratory ward at any one time and educational opportunities will involve tutorial and bed-side teaching.  The CF team includes a wide range of multidisciplinary members and there will be an opportunity to teach and discuss research projects and/or findings following the MDT meetings on Mondays.

There are also available slots for paper presentations and project discussion at laboratory meetings.

Feedback will be provided throughout.

Clinical component

The CF Centre in the Belfast City Hospital provides care for all adult patients with CF in NI. Prof Downey also leads a Lung Defence Clinic with the clinical immunology team. This provides specialist care for patients with immunodeficiencies and structural lung disease. The inpatient and outpatient work will provide a unique opportunity to be involved in the care of patients with complex respiratory needs and will provide training in treating challenging infections.

There will be amble opportunities for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBD formats.

Provisional job plans

Example Template

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	CF Ward Round and MDT	Project	Lab-meeting, teaching and project	Ward Round	Bronchiectasis Clinic
p.m.	Teaching and Project	Project	CF Clinic	X-Ray meeting Project	Project or CF Clinic

Discipline:                  Immunohistochemistry and molecular cell biology
Centre:                       Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
Lead Academics:       Dr Derek P.Brazil 
Pure Profile:               https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/derek-brazil
Clinical Supervisor:   Dr. Vicky Coyle, Consultant Oncologist, Belfast City Hospital

Prior to starting the placement

The Brazil group is based in the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine on the Belfast City Hospital site. The group is interested in Gremlin1, a molecule that plays a key role in human diseases such as colorectal cancer, diabetic nephropathy and lung fibrosis. The Brazil group has shown that patients with high levels of Grem1 expression in their colorectal cancers have poorer survival rates. In addition, Grem1 expression is associated with the CMS4 stromal, metastatic subtype of colorectal cancer. The group is working to elucidate how Grem1 expression drives aggressive cancer formation, and also identify whether Grem1 can be detected in patient serum as a potential early biomarker for disease detection. Finally, the Brazil group have developed novel, small molecule inhibitors of Grem1 that are being developed as lead compounds for therapeutic Grem1 inhibitors to treat colorectal cancer, diabetic nephropathy and other diseases.

 

The trainee should read up on the Brazil group and ongoing research activities:

 

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/derek-brazil

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/find-a-phd-supervisor/dr-derek-brazil.html

https://vimeo.com/qubmarketing/review/360214697/eba9a6eb50

Background reading of publications from the Brazil laboratory. Familiarisation with theory around laboratory techniques such as Western blotting, PCR, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation.

Generic academic skills

Literature review focussed on the role of Gremlin1 and BMP signalling in colorectal cancer and kidney fibrosis. Data analysis and statistical interrogation. Presentation at group meetings, Writing of papers.

Academic component

The trainee will be exposed to the range of research activities here in the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine. Attendance at weekly seminars will provide exposure to cutting-edge research here at QUB and also from external institutions. The trainee will be expected to write up their results and present them to the centre at the end of their placement. It is expected that results from the trainee will be included on published abstracts and research papers from the Brazil group. Completion of this placement should place the trainee in a strong position to apply for a PhD and pursue a career in clinical academic medicine.  Trainees will attend the weekly Brazil research group meeting and will meet with Dr. Brazil one-to-one at least once per month to discuss progress. Both trainee and supervisor will complete a meeting feedback form for each of these meetings, with action points agreed for the following month of the project.

Research skills

This 4-month placement will involve the trainee joining the Brazil research team here in the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine. The trainee will be part of the project team focussed on elucidating the role of Gremlin1 in colorectal cancer and kidney fibrosis. Tissue samples from patients and mouse models of disease will be analysed by immunohistochemistry staining for Grem1 in biopsies to map the expression of Grem1 in diseased tissue. In addition, levels of Grem1 in serum samples will also be analysed by mass spectrometry to identify the potential of Grem1 as a prognostic/diagnostic/therapeutic marker for colorectal cancer, diabetic nephropathy and other diseases. The trainee will compare these laboratory findings with other clinicopathological correlates from patients to provide correlative evidence of Grem1 protein expression and patient outcomes

Teaching skills

Opportunities to teach undergraduate medical students in small group teaching, as part of the new C25 medical curriculum. Dr. Brazil is the Year 1 lead in Medicine and will advise the trainee on teaching opportunities as a facilitator in Case-Based Learning sessions and tutorials in both Year 1 and 2 C25 Medicine. In addition, opportunities as a tutor in Clinical Skills teaching in CSEC and the new InterSim centre will be provided.   

Clinical and or Research Centre Seminars

The trainee will be able to attend weekly seminars at WWIEM which take place on Tuesdays at 1pm. In addition, other seminars in the PGJCCR and CPH will also be available. Ad hoc clinical seminars in CME/RVH etc will also be advertised and available to trainees.

Clinical component

The trainee will obtain one-two sessions per week of clinical training (depending on clinical and scientific research interests) at the Cancer Centre, Belfast City Hospital, under the supervision of Dr. Vicky Coyle, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Oncologist. Dr. Coyle will act as the educational supervisor for the trainee and allow them to complete a series of clinical competencies in oncology during their 4-month placement.

Provisional job plans

Example Template (flexible sessions are possible, to be discussed with Dr. Brazil)

 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	x	x	x	x	x
p.m.	x	x	Clinical Session	x	x

 

Discipline:                  Cardiology
Centre:                       Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine       
Lead Academics:      Professor David Grieve and Dr Chris Watson                     
Clinical Supervisor:  Professor Mark Harbinson (m.harbinson@qub.ac.uk)
Pure Profile:             https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/david-grieve
                                    https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/chris-watson

Prior to starting the placement

Following successful application, you will be invited to the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine (WWIEM) to meet with your academic and clinical supervisors to discuss your specific clinical and research interests in order to inform the most relevant project and academic/clinical exposure over the course of the placement.

Generic academic skills

An academic F2 placement in Cardiology will promote insight into clinical academic medicine through working alongside both basic and clinical academic scientists, specialist clinical trainees, postdoctoral researchers, and students. The aim of this placement is to develop your knowledge, skills and aptitude for academic medicine, which we hope will foster interest in a long-term clinical academic career which may involve undertaking a MD or PhD degree in Cardiology.

Academic component

Upon joining our Cardiology research team in WWIEM, you will have an appraisal meeting with your supervisors to review your learning portfolio and to agree educational, research, and training objectives for this academic F2 placement. You will meet with your supervisors weekly, either individually or together with other members of their research groups, to discuss progress and agree plans. This will be facilitated by completion of a standard meeting template including specific supervisor throughout the 4-month placement with regular review of progress to ensure that relevant competencies are achieved.

Research skills

1. Research project: can be chosen in one of a number of topics relevant to cardiology, including diabetic cardiomyopathy, ischaemic/hypertensive heart disease and diastolic heart failure, with focus on identification of novel therapeutic targets and diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers. Your research projects will be primarily based in WWIEM and will be supervised by one or two academic staff with input from experienced laboratory-based researchers. It is anticipated that any results generated through the course of the placement would be published in the form of a scientific abstract and/or manuscript on which you would be a named co-author.
2. Research training: It is envisaged you will be able to complete a number of research project tasks, such as learning about governance issues relevant to clinical academic research, undertaking a literature review, interrogating a database, collating laboratory results, practising basic experimental techniques, and oral/poster presentation. To support this training, you will spend a significant part of the placement working within the Cardiology research laboratories within WWIEM. Trainees may also have the opportunity to assist with ongoing clinical studies related to our laboratory-based programmes.
3. Mentorship: During your placement you will have access to experienced clinical academic staff in cardiology and related disciplines who are available to provide longer-term advice and encouragement to help you to plan and pursue a career in academic medicine.

Teaching skills

Cardiology has active undergraduate and postgraduate educational opportunities. During the F2 placement, your contribution will be formalised in consultation with the Centre for Medical Education and comprise at least ½ day per week to include:

1. Undergraduate teaching of medical students which may involve contribution to clinically-related aspects of ongoing student-selected components (e.g. cardiovascular imaging), intercalated research projects, and ward-based clinical teaching. Some sessions will be directly observed by your academic/clinical supervisors or other staff from the Centre for Medical Education who will provide constructive feedback to improve your confidence and competence.
2. Formal postgraduate education in WWIEM which may involve contribution to regular research group meetings (at which you will be expected to present your F2 placement plans and progress), research and clinical governance sessions, theoretical or practical teaching of Masters students, and critical appraisal of relevant published literature in journal club format.

Clinical component

There will be F2-level clinical feedback, appraisal and assessment as documented in the

Foundation Programme Curriculum (www.mmc.nhs.uk). You will have particular opportunities to

expand your knowledge of management of heart disease in an outpatient setting with attendance at outpatient clinics.  This will provide numerous encounters suitable for recording F2 competencies in mini-CEX and CBD formats. You will also gain experience of dictating letters to fellow health professional and patients (an important generic skill). It is also expected that you will be preparing for and sitting the Part 1 MRCP exam or equivalent during the Academic F2 year.

Provisional job plans

This example job plan has been designed to introduce the successful candidate to major areas of academic Cardiology. There will be individualisation of the attachment for trainees dependent on previous research experience and ultimate career wishes, but neither previous research training nor a desire to work in Cardiology long-term are mandatory. Training in library and journal access will be provided in addition to clinical training on the relevant hospital IT systems pertinent to Cardiology practice.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
a.m.	MRI Clinic	WWIEM Research	Surgical Ward Round	Inherited Cardiac Conditions Clinic	WWIEM Research
p.m.	WWIEM Research	WWIEM Research	Heart Failure Clinic	CPD / Literature Review	Cardiology Research Group Meeting

 

Teaching Skills with Centre for Medical Education

To date, many trainees have gained valuable teaching experience in CSEC.    

Opportunities on offer

• Regular teaching sessions in clinical skills – with formal induction and debrief
• Peer review of teaching
• OSCE training and potential to examine in an OSCE
• Certificate for the AFP2 portfolio 

Teaching sessions on offer

• Teaching usually occurs on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon - during the academic year
• There are also other teaching sessions on during the week
• There are also many other opportunities in teaching in the Centre for Medical Education 
• To ensure a rich experience we would recommend at least 1 session per week were possible