skip to content
 

SENIOR CLINICAL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP IN ANAESTHESIA

Duration: One year in the first instance, renewable for periods of one year up to a total of three years.

Aims of Senior Clinical Training Scholarship (SCTS)

The aim of this Training Programme is to enable the Senior Clinical Training Scholar (SCTS) to gain a greater understanding of applied sciences related to anaesthesia, pain management, peri-operative medicine and critical care in both small and large animals. The scholar should also develop a critical approach to the scientific literature, be aware of the principles, benefits and limitations associated with evidence based medicine and to start to appreciate factors involved in scientific investigations.

The Scholar’s training programme will be under the supervision of the leader of the training program:

Chiara Adami, DMV, DipACVAA, DipECVAA EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, PGCertVetEd, PhD

Associate Teaching Professor

The individual supervisor will be chosen from:

Dr Chiara Adami, DMV, Dip.ACVAA, Dip.ECVAA, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, PGCertVetEd, PhD

Associate Teaching Professor

And

Dr Alice Bird, MA, VetMB, Dip.ECVAA, MRCVS

Clinical Anaesthetist

With additional supervision from:

Dr Hanna Machin DMV, MVetMed, Dip. ACVAA, MRCVS

Clinical Anaesthetist

Time allocation

The majority of the 3 year programme will be spent conducting clinical anaesthesia and critical care under the direction of Chiara Adami and the other diplomates. This will constitute the majority of the residency. The degree of responsibility assumed by the SCTS will be appropriate to the nature of the procedure, training and personal experience. Initially this will be limited to working closely with one of the diplomates in the first year. As the residency progresses increasing amounts of responsibility will be given to the SCTS until by the third year almost total case responsibility will be assumed with access to a senior member of staff as required. Additional time will be spent with the internal medicine, cardiology and imaging services at the Queen's Veterinary School Hospital. During veterinary anaesthesia rotations, the SCTS will attend "in house" SCTSs discussion groups, morbidity and mortality focus groups, journal club and book club weekly sessions. The SCTS will participate in the veterinary anaesthetic emergency service with senior support appropriate to the stage of training. The scholar will also rotate through the critical care and recovery room in order to gain experience in peri-operative medicine and advanced case management.

At least 20% of the programme will be spent in conducting the clinical research investigation, preparation of scientific manuscripts, rotation though discipline which are related to but are not anaesthesia, external veterinary anaesthesia rotations to assist with experience and caselog requirements and, upon request, visiting an anaesthesia unit in a human medical hospital.

Time will also be allowed for further study, conference attendance and holiday time.

The SCTS will attend relevant conferences on anaesthesia and related subjects. E.g. the conferences of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, BSAVA, BEVA.

Year 1: The SCTS will concentrate on the clinical research project in order to allow enough time for collation of results and publication before the end of the residency. They will also start to develop the clinical skills required to allow full case responsibility in subsequent years. An externship to a training centre with a high equine caseload will be encouraged.

Year 2: continuation of the research project and development of clinical skills. Depending on the candidate teaching of undergraduate students will also be assigned. This year will also include rotations through other disciplines at the QVSH. An externship to a training centre with a large equine and farm animal caseload will be encouraged.

Year 3: submission/publication of the research work. The SCTS will be assuming full case responsibility and increased teaching load of undergraduates e.g. seminars for students on clinical rotation and small group teaching. Teaching of interns in anaesthesia, analgesia intensive care will be encouraged. Externships in this year will aim at providing experience in areas of veterinary anaesthesia that are not readily available in the department e.g. equine colic anaesthesia, laboratory and exotic animal anaesthesia, human anaesthesia and intensive care. The final aim is for the SCTS to be able to credential at the next available round of ECVAA diploma exams after the scholarship has completed.

Resources

This SCTS programme will be based at The Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge.

The Hospital facilities include:

· Fully equipped and staffed diagnostic facilities for the examination and treatment of small and large animal and equine medical and surgical conditions. There is also a significant exotic pet caseload.

· Two large animal and five small animal theatres, with extensive anaesthetic and monitoring equipment

· Diagnostic imaging capabilities including x-ray, MRI, scintigraphy and ultrasound

· Fully staffed nursing wards and intensive care facilities

· On site clinical pathology and histopathological staff and laboratories

· A well-stocked veterinary library and access to the local human teaching hospital (Addenbrooke's) library

· Easily accessible computer and internet facilities

Emergency service

The SCTS will participate fully in the out-of-hours rota gaining valuable and essential experience in emergency work and patient management including intensive care cases. Participation in the out of hours weekday and weekend rota is shared. Full back-up cover is provided by senior surgeons, physicians, radiologists and anaesthetists.

Departmental Structure and SCTS Training

The Department has a well-established and highly successful medical SCTS programme with an outstanding achievement for specialist qualifications of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Teaching and Continuing Professional Development

The SCTS will be expected to attend the day release courses organised by the University of Cambridge on teaching and learning in higher education. These courses deal with education methods (lectures, seminars and small group teaching etc.) for lecturers involved in tertiary education. There are also computer and audio-visual courses available.

Scholars have to prepare and attend presentations given by and to members of the department for critical appraisal by colleagues in the Hospital. In addition to this, continuing education presentations to patient owners, veterinary surgeons and nurses will be a requirement of the SCTS programme.

Excellent support will be provided to the SCTS from other clinicians in the small animal department including staff in surgery, imaging, internal medicine, neurology and clinical pathology.

Research Programme

Clinically orientated research to advance the understanding and management of anaesthesia and pain management in small animals is an important and vital aspect of the SCTS training. The proposed topic of the research programme will be decided after discussions with the clinical supervisor. The SCTS will be allocated time during the first and second year of the SCTS to complete the clinical research project. The SCTS will be encouraged to apply for other research grants in order to gain experience in grant applications and management.

Undergraduate Teaching Participation

The SCTS will be encouraged to participate in

· 1st and 2nd year small group teaching.

· 4th and 5th year clinical and practical classes.

· 6th year clinical teaching in anaesthesia and intensive care. He or she will be expected to contribute to seminars, practicals and case rounds. This will provide the opportunity for the development of seminar presentation techniques, supervision of students performing anaesthesia, clinical case management and continuous assessment of students.

Collaborative Arrangements

Scholars are encouraged to spend short periods of study at alternative institutions. We have strong links to internationally acclaimed referral hospitals both in the United Kingdom and abroad, and externships are encouraged. The SCTS will be expected to organise externships with guidance from Dr Adami.

Publications

The SCTS will be expected to prepare and publish at least two scientific papers in refereed journals during the programme. The SCTS will also be encouraged to attend conferences. He or she will be expected to present papers on these topics at scientific meetings such as the Conferences of Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, Annual Congress of the British Small Animal Association, or the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress.

Examinations

The qualifications that the applicant will study for is: The Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia