THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND BULLETIN

DOI: 10.1308/147363514X14042954769672 ONLINE RESEARCH PAPERS

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New research papers exclusively online under October 2014 issue

David Sanders Associate Editor of the Bulletin

Ann R Coll Surg Engl (Suppl) 2014; 96: 320

The insider’s guide to obtaining a national training

The results of the study demonstrated the academic
number in plastic surgery
competitiveness of plastic surgery trainees from an early
S Opel, Y Ghani, OA Branford
stage in their careers and the high calibre of those
trainees who
DOI: 10.1308/1473 6351 4X1404 2954 769474
are successful in attaining an ST3 post. Half had five or
more publications in peer-reviewed journals, with a quarter
Obtaining a national training number (NTN) has always been
having eight or more. Two-thirds had five or more
competitive, and plastic surgery is one of the most
international or national presentations, with a third having
competitive surgical specialties in the UK. There is a
eight or more.
nationalised recruitment system in place and in 2012 there
was a competition ratio of applicants to successful
Undertaking a plastic surgery rotation as early as possible
candidates of 17:1, with 166 applicants for 10 posts. The
and securing publications, presentations and audits will lay
aim of this study was to highlight the academic
essential foundation stones for those wishing to pursue
requirements to attain a plastic surgery NTN and to make
specialty training. Applicants must be prepared to invest
potential applicants aware of the personal commitment
personally and financially while demonstrating a sound
required.
academic commitment to their chosen specialty.

A positive change in surgical attitudes towards online change in clinical practice. Since its introduction, the ISCP has
been workplace-based assessment reported as having low levels of satisfaction and was declared
unfit SC Hawkins, A Osborne, D Egbeare, J Williamson, AW Lambert for purpose by the Association of Surgeons in Training
(ASiT) in 2009.
This study assesses whether attitudes towards the ISCP are
changing DOI: 10.1308/1473 3514X1404 2954 7696 36 over time. In 2012 trainees’ perceptions of the validity of WBAs
had improved significantly from 2008. These results
document A range of electronic workplace-based assessment (WBA) tools an important shift in the attitude of surgeons
towards online have been incorporated into the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum assessment. Trainees started with
generally negative attitudes
Programme website and other online assessment websites such as towards the process in 2008, in agreement with previous
survey the NHS ePortfolio. Widespread adoption of these WBAs has been reports. However, the results of the follow-
up survey suggest mandatory, resulting in a focus on summative assessment. There is that attitudes towards online
assessment tools have improved little supporting evidence confirming their effectiveness in instigating between 2008 and 2012,

An evaluation of the use of direct observation of month period during

procedural skills in the Intercollegiate Surgical the first year of the introduction of ISCP (2007–2008). These data
Curriculum Programme
A Mathew, JD Beard, M Bussey

DOI: 10.1308/1473 6351 4X1404 2954 7695 19

The aims of this audit were to evaluate uptake, scoring profile

and user satisfaction of direct observation of procedural skills
(DOPS) as a WBA; to identify areas for improvement and
design a new version (surgical DOPS [S-DOPS]) and to
evaluate the uptake and scoring profile of S-DOPS. Data were
extracted from the portfolios of all UK trainees for each three-
were analysed with regard to level of training, specialty,
procedure (including complexity), scores achieved, and time
taken for observation and feedback.

Using the feedback from phase 1, a new S-DOPS was

created using a Delphi email process by the members of
the Curriculum Development and Assessment Committee of
the ISCP. Data were extracted from the portfolios of all UK
trainees for 2010–2011 and analysed in the same way as
before. The new form incorporates simpler criterion-
based ratings, which clearly define the standard required,
thereby removing the ambiguity associated with the
rating system in the previous version. The results
indicate that both assessors and trainees are more
satisfied with the new form and support its use compared
with the old form.