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The training of doctors is not confined to the clinical domain; generic non-clinical skills including quality assurance, teaching and research are all emphasised in the revised UK training scheme.

Writing for the CME geriatric medicine journal (CME geriatric medicine 208; 10(1): 37-38), Simon Conroy (co-authors D Witham, Phyo Myint and John Gladman) says that a survey they conducted in 2006, represents the first attempt to assess the use of non-clinical training sessions by UK trainee geriatricians. Canvassing trainee members of the BGS about their use of non-clinical sessions, educational support and thoughts about future use, Dr Conroy et. al. had a 32% response rate. Their findings indicate both poor awareness of non-clinical sessions and poor access to them. Reasons given for poor access included service commitments and ignorance of the right to structured, protected sessions. On future use of protected sessions, respondents have a preference for formal courses, in particular, teaching or a structured MSc.

Even where sessions are accessed, they are often used for administration and additional training. There is poor access to mentors and monitoring the use of protected sessions at annual assessments is relatively rare.

The most popular choices for non-clinical activities, as consultants, is teaching and management, followed by research.

BGS Newsletter, May 2008
Issue 16 ISSN 1748-6343 16