Internal Medical Training

Accordion

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Internal Medical Training (IMT) is available at both Conquest and Eastbourne Hospitals.

Dr Hiten Patel at EDGH and Dr Steve Fong are the IMT Leads.

Anita Todd is our Administrator.

What you will get:

  • Individual Support with an Educational Supervisor(ES). Your ES will review your Clinical and Educational Progress and will provide some Career Guidance.
  • A Clinical Supervisor on each Specialty.
  • A robust 36 month training programme consisting of six four-monthly rotations studying some of the following:

Cardiology,
Diabetes,
Endocrinology and Haematology ,
Elderly Medicine,
Gastroentrology,
Respiratory, and
At least one rotation in AMU.

  • Our ARCP process ensures that trainees will meet the requirements for ARCP at HEKSS level.
  • Internal  Medical Training is available at East Sussex Healthcare Trust, on both sites, at Conquest Hospital, Hastings and Eastbourne District General Hospital. Both sites provide excellent general and speciality experience enabling trainees to achieve core competencies and to complete their MRCP. Our hospitals offer an extremely supportive learning environment and we pride ourselves on treating each trainee as an individual mapping the support we provide to their needs and committed educational supervisors.

    Overview

    Our training programme consist of six 4 – monthly rotation over a two year period. All of the attachments include acute internal medical experience. The trainees rotate through key major specialities, which can include Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Elderly Medicine, Diabetes & Endocrinology and Haematology. In addition all trainees will spend at least one four month rotation working in MAU.

    Visit our “Specialties” page for more information: Specialities – ESHT Medical Education

    Educational Supervisors

    Each trainee will be allocated an Educational Supervisor to review educational and clinical progress as well as providing careers guidance. Trainees will be allocated clinical supervisors during each of their rotations. In addition, we have a local ARCP process to ensure that trainees will meet the requirements for ARCP at HEKSS level.

    The completion of Supervised Learning Events (SLEs) and trainee progress is reviewed via e-portfolio, requiring the trainee to complete set modules by way of:

    • Observation
    • Direct Supervision
    • Independent practice
    • Attendance at relevant training courses and events

    The individual trainee completes their individual e-portfolio which is monitored by the department in collaboration with our Medical Education Team, to ensure the trainee continues to meet their training objectives and achieves the best outcomes.

    The Medical Education Team on both sites has dedicated CMT admin support for trainees. The Educational Programmes include protected weekly tutorials, Grand Rounds, speciality teaching sessions and simulation and PACES preparation.

    CMT Regional Training Days

    Upcoming Events – Working across Kent, Surrey and Sussex (hee.nhs.uk)

    The IMT Lead Conquest

    Dr Steven Fong

    IMT Lead Eastbourne District General Hospital

    Dr Rick Veasey

    IMT Administration Support – Eastbourne and Hastings

    Anita Todd

    Outcome of training programme

    ARCP milestones achieved and successful completion of IMT Training.

    Qualifications and professional registration required

    The most up to information can be viewed on the HEKSS Speciality Website: Acute Care Common Stem – Working across Kent, Surrey and Sussex (hee.nhs.uk)

     

    Conquest Hospital

    Rotations are for four months and include respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, diabetes and endocrinology, cardiology, care of elderly and MAU.

    Cardiology

    The cardiology department is a very busy unit with four consultants and a high level of supervision for juniors. James Ward is well organised and efficient, and the nurses are very supportive of the junior staff. Conquest Hospital provides a full angioplasty including all other cardiac investigations is available. CMT access to out-patients clinics, with supervision, and regular teaching on ward rounds. CMT trainees are also encouraged to attend the cardiac catheter lab to understand the procedures performed there.

    Gastroenterology

    There are three consultants, 1 SpR and 2 Staff Grades. The post holder contributes to the acute medical take and supervises the FY1. There is a well equipped and busy endoscopy unit with special interest in nutritional support and the post holder is encouraged to be involved with this. There are 2 GI MDTs a week (upper and a lower GI cancer) There is a weekly x-ray meeting and a weekly journal club. Trainees are required to attend one clinic a week.

    Geriatrics

    There are four DME Consultants, two SpRs, and three staff grades. The CT1/2 are part of the acute medical take rota. The post holder is also responsible for the care of ward patients.

     

    ‘I am a CMT year one trainee at the Conquest Hospital. I was particularly attracted to the programme because of the range of different medical specialities offered as rotations by the East Sussex Healthcare Trust. This especially suited me as I am still unsure about my career choice. The best of all, they are all based in the same hospital, so you are pretty much in touch with all the consultants, no matter what rotation you are based in. This really enhances your learning experience in training as you advance through the programme. In contrast to other Trusts I worked in, I found all the consultants very approachable and helpful. At the Conquest we have a well led educational training programme, which is very trainee’ need based, and trainee feedback is constantly fed back to the Faculty Leads. St Leonards is a sea side city and the surrounding area has some amazing tourist attractions in south of England. For frequent travellers, there is a fast rail service to London, and other cities’     Dr Saif Bhatti CT1

    Eastbourne District General Hospital

    The Core Medical Training Programme comprises 18 trainees, each doing six 4 month posts over a 2 year period. All trainees receive plenty of exposure to acutely ill patients in a well-supported setting and also have the opportunity to obtain more in-depth experience of a speciality of interest to them. Trainees rotate through 4 month posts in Acute Medicine (MAU) and specialities: Respiratory, Haematology, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Stroke/Geriatrics, Cardiology and Gastroenterology.

    The on call team is well supported by MAU staff grades and a traditional firm structure during the acute take. All specialities have ward based teams and trainees have the opportunity to gain valuable sub speciality experience. The active 11 bedded coronary care unit manages patients with acute myocardial infarction with both thrombolysis and in hours primary PCI. In addition patients post simple and complex ppm (ICD/CRTD), electrophysiological studies, ablation for AF are presented in the morning daily teaching round held for the on call teams.

    Haematology

    The Haematology inpatient service is based at Eastbourne District General Hospital, within recently opened and refurbished accommodation. A 17 – bedded ward with 11 en-suite side rooms, including a Teenage & Young Adult room, provide space for inpatient care; and an adjacent Day Unit with capacity for 18 simultaneous infusions provides space for chemotheraphy administration, blood product transfusion, line care and procedures such as bone marrows and PICC line insertions. The Haematology Team is comprised of 4 consultants: Dr Grace and Dr Newman (based at Eastbourne) and Dr Weston-Smith and Dr Gupta (based at Conquest); one SpR on rotation from King’s College Hospital, and two Core Trainees. There is also a staff grade Haematologist based at Conquest Hospital. The team is friendly and approachable, and there are also good opportunities to attend outpatient sessions.

    Geriatrics

    The DME department at Eastbourne DGH is made up of 2 Stoke consultants and 2 Geriatric consultants and 3 StRs

    Visit tour “Specialties” page for more information: Specialities – ESHT Medical Education

  • ‘I am a first year Core Medical Trainee at Eastbourne District General Hospital, currently working on Acute Medicine (MAU) having completed my first rotation in Cardiology. My experience has been a positive one, with both rotations being well supported with approachable members of staff (Consultants, senior doctors, nurses etc)As a trainee, you are exposed to several sub specialties in Cardiology including interventional, electrophysiology, device therapy and imaging and manage patients with acute illnesses on the Coronary Care Unit, as well as those with more chronic conditions on the wards. Additionally, you get time to attend clinics as well as the opportunity to spend a week on ITU as part of the rotation. On MAU, the variety of acute medical conditions seen can be both challenging and intellectually stimulating. There is excellent Consultant led teaching on a regular basis and you are likely to become proficient in practical procedures during your time here’In summary, I think that Eastbourne has a lot to offer for CMTs – exposure to both acute and chronic medicine in a variety of well supported specialities, as well as ample opportunities to practise clinical skills/procedures and to attend outpatient clinics. Being at one site for two years allows you to build relationships with member of staff making it an enjoyable working environment and one that I would recommend to future applicants.

    Hospital is a pilot site for medical simulation training

    Eastbourne DGH is one of five hospitals in the United Kingdom to offer simulation training for doctors to practice heart procedures as part of a national pilot. Doctors are able to learn and practice procedures in a simulated situation using high tech dummies and IT training devices.

    Professor Nikhil Patel Consultant Cardiologist and Course Designer said,

    “We are delighted to be one of only five hospitals in the UK to take part in this new form of training for cardiac doctors. Simulation training has been around a long time in the aviation industry but it is relatively new in medicine. This training used high tech dummies and IT devices to help junior doctors learn and develop their technique so that they are safe and prepared before they perform these procedures for real. I am pleased that the feedback we had from the British Cardiac Society representative on the course as well as the trainees themselves was extremely positive.”

    The simulation training covered angiography (examining blood vessels using Xray) and pace making procedures. The British Cardiovascular Society recommends that cardiology trainees should undertake a course incorporating simulation based training before, or very early on in their cardiology career. The one day course held at Eastbourne had seven cardiology registrars. It included a mixture of lectures and small group sessions, which were led by experienced faculty members including the Trust’s Senior Resuscitation Officer, Steve Rochester, Dr Sveta Badiani and Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Rick Veasey.

    Some trainees’ feedback comments

    ‘thank you, this course was extremely useful’

    ‘enjoyed simulations for common complications’

    ‘excellent sessions on angiography and packing’

    ‘loved the simulation on angios and pacing – would like to have more if available’

    ‘well organised, catered to knowledge base’

    ‘ideal at this stage of training’

  • Internal Training Days are held annually on both sites and excellent feedback has been received on the topics covered and organisation of these events