It has been an eye-opening experience becoming Chair of the Trainees Group. My journey home from the Autumn meeting was spent in a state of disbelief.

I wasn’t really sure what I’d volunteered for, never mind why I’d done it! I have no real committee experience and, prior to the Autumn meeting, had only been involved with the BGS at a regional level.

Thankfully I have not had cause to regret my decision…yet! I sit on the UK Management Committee, Specialist Advisory Committee at the College, and the Education and Training Committee. It has to be said that the “great and good” in geriatrics that sit on these committees have been very friendly and welcoming. I have been pleasantly surprised by their interest in trainees’ issues and experiences. They really do want to make our training as good as possible!

Hence the following plea:

Making our voices heard
There are 448 trainees currently, and I need to hear from as many of you as possible, from all the regions, so that I can report back to the “powers that be” any problems, however large or small, that you may be experiencing. Any feedback would be a real help, so that I’m not just giving my own opinion on current issues such as stroke training, shift patterns and recruitment.

In return, I will keep you all updated via this newsletter, and through your regional representatives. The trainees section of the BGS website will start to evolve over the next few months, and I hope it will become a further useful channel of communication.

Promoting good research
Under the auspices of the Academic and Research Committee, we are hoping to feature the experiences of trainees who are active in research. We want to hear about what motivated people to go into research, their highs (and lows), so if you feel that you could contribute in this area, please contact either Steve Jackson or myself.

Most of the committee will be at the Spring meeting in Derry and it would be great to meet as many of you as possible, either at the Trainees meeting on Friday lunchtime, or in the bar!

Sally Briggs
Chairman : Trainees Group