• Question: How do you stay informed with current health care advancements?

    Asked by Maariya on 16 Mar 2022.
    • Photo: Sarah Cousins

      Sarah Cousins answered on 16 Mar 2022:


      Ongoing learning is very much part of being a doctor. Throughout training, and once you are fully qualified you have to keep a record of the ongoing learning you have done, and how it changes your practice. I tend to keep up via different means. Reading articles, watching TV programmes or reading books that are relevant, attending courses (virtually or in person). I also have a meeting with colleagues in my practice where we take it in turns to teach each other. I also do similar with a group of peers from outside my practice. There are also certain mandatory training that has to be completed, such as CPR training or safeguarding, and this might be in person or online courses.

    • Photo: Samantha Garside

      Samantha Garside answered on 16 Mar 2022:


      We are always learning, we attend mandatory & non mandatory courses, learning events, in house training days. We also have to maintain Continuing Professional Development Record.

    • Photo: Heather S

      Heather S answered on 16 Mar 2022:


      that is another really good question Maariya! sometimes it feels like the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know lol.

      Social media and Twitter are really good ways for following what is going on in a particular area – you’ll know – it doesn’t take long to work out who is worth following. and top tip!! I would honestly suggest having very different work and personal identities and don’t cross them over 🙂

      I don’t have personal accounts but it would never show me in uniform or anything to do with my job. I do have work accounts, but I rarely post, and if I do it is always a professional response/comment etc and never ever personal

    • Photo: Laurence Quirk

      Laurence Quirk answered on 18 Mar 2022:


      I work for the Training Hub which specifically helps staff working in primary care (GP practice) with their on-going learning and development.

      We help by organising CPD (continuing professional development) sessions on topics people tell us are relevant. So for example this week we hosted a session on Asthma where a specialist doctor known as a consultant gave a talk on the latest research and treatments.

      We also help with funding for staff to access courses and conferences or we put on specific courses. Next week we have a course for nursing staff to help refresh their skills around ear irrigation, where they help clear blockages.

      A lot of staff also make time to read articles or journals. They might ask questions of colleagues considered experts.

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