| Individual Placement Description | |
|---|---|
| Placement | Emergency Medicine |
| Year | F2 |
| Region | North |
| Hospital(s) | Dr Grays Hospital, Elgin |
| Main Duties of Placement | |
| Typical Work Pattern | Supervision during the day is by consultant or middle grade. Overnight supervision is by EMP with consultants on call for advice available by telephone. The rota is a compliant rolling 6 week form with built-in study leave. Shift swaps may be arranged between junior staff to accommodate different off-duty requirements. FY2 doctors who are on GP placements are allocated weekend shifts in A&E to give them some exposure to emergency medicine. There are currently no FY1 or ST doctors working in the department but we have attached medical students. |
| Learning Opportunities | The medical staff comprises two consultants, one associate specialist, a specialty doctor, 6 emergency medical practitioners (EMPs), 3 FY2s and 3 GPSTs in rotation. Three FY2s from GP placements contribute to the department rota at weekends. There are also two sessional GPs and one part time educational/clinical supervisor and primary care specialist. There is a full complement of nursing and reception staff and two orthopaedic technicians. The Emergency Department is based in Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin which is 40 miles from Inverness and 65 miles from Aberdeen. The hospital has 200 acute beds to serve a population of about 120,000. Specialties include general medicine and surgery, orthopaedic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, critical care, renal dialysis and part-time ophthalmology and cardiology. Other specialties are covered by visiting consultants. The department is sited next to the radiology department and close to the laboratory services. There are also physiotherapy and dietetics departments, a library and education centre. |
| Teaching | Learning is a constant process in the department with both formal weekly sessions and informal opportunistic teaching at the bedside. As part of the education program, junior staff undertake audits which not only test their skills as researchers and educators but also contribute to the development and governance of the department. There are also hospital-wide FY teaching sessions and a program of GPST teaching. These processes produce confident, competent junior doctors who clearly value and benefit from their time in the department. |
| Unique Selling Points | A wide range of competencies can be achieved during the placement; these include adult and paediatric resuscitation and the management of trauma, the diagnosis and management of acute illness, intubation, venous and other access, nerve blocks, suturing, thrombolysis, reduction of fractures and dislocations, plastering, chest drains, bladder catheterisation, administration of local anaesthetics, pain relief and sedatives, interpretation of ECGs. Moray is an area of outstanding natural beauty from its beaches to its hills and forests which merge into the Highlands and Grampian mountains where hill walking, climbing, mountain biking, sailing, winter sports, bird watching and fishing are some of the many activities within easy reach of Elgin. The City of Elgin is a historic county town which serves the fishing, farming and distilling industries of the area. It is the seat of local government and offers good shopping and entertainment facilities. There are good primary and secondary schools and tertiary education is provided by a branch of the University of the Highlands & Islands. The climate is mild with low rainfall and long hours of sunshine. |
| It is important to note that this description is a typical example of your placement and may be subject to change. | |
