Courses & Conferences to Attend
I attended the Virtual Reality Endoscopy Course at the Royal Free Hospital during Core Medical Training, which allows you to get hands-on experience with an endoscope at an early stage.
I also attended the BSG Trainees Taster Course, the BSG annual conference, and the British Association for the Study of the Liver annual conference, which were great opportunities to meet people in the speciality and gain knowledge about day-to-day life as a Gastroenterologist.
I would recommend all of the above-named conferences as initial conferences. They provide a good, broad introduction to all areas of the speciality and are all very fun. The virtual reality course also allows you to complete the modules in your own time whenever it works for you and gives you basic familiarity with endoscopes before you start training on patients.
E-learning for healthcare also offers free online modules from NHS England that provide training in all aspects of endoscopy and provide certificates when completed. The Sheila Sherlock Postgraduate Course has consistently good feedback and offers Hepatology-specific sessions and teaching.
How to Maximise Your Portfolio
My advice is that as soon as you know your desired speciality, then that is the time to start preparing, you really can’t do it early enough.
Introduce yourself to the Gastroenterology Consultants in your hospital and ask to get involved with projects, even mind-numbing data collection has presentation and publication potential!
Ask them if you can join their clinics and endoscopy lists, and do the same again when you rotate hospitals, and opportunities will arise! Current trainees are also always a good source of tips and will often have projects on the go that you can get involved with.
Sign up to local trainee networks, such as GLINT in London, to make connections and open up further opportunities. Look at the application forms on the JRCPTB website, compare them to your CV, and start working early to gain points in any weaker areas, particularly with projects that can get your points in more than one domain, such as a QIP that could be presented as a poster at a meeting or conference.
Use these projects to apply for prizes at conferences such as the BSG. It is free to do so, and you can’t win if you don’t apply!
Making the Most of Your Day Job
Be proactive and always look for opportunities to learn, network, and develop.
Even when you are not on a Gastroenterology rotation, remember that many general medical skills are transferable, and mastering those will put you in a strong position and can often still gain a lot of points on the application form.
It will also make you a more rounded and competent trainee, and general medicine is a key element of Gastroenterology, which will show through at interview. Also, remember that presentations, publications, and QIPs will give you points, experience, skills, and impress even if they are not in Gastroenterology.
Making the Most of Gastroenterology Placements
Again, the key here is to be proactive and organised. As soon as you have a clinical supervisor, speak to them, ideally even before the rotation starts, explain your interest, and make sure they and the other Consultants know your desires.
Ask to get involved with any projects, take on responsibility by seeing referrals, attend clinics and endoscopy lists, and there will often be audits, such as the National Upper GI Bleed audit, that you can get involved with.
What About Non-Gastroenterology Placements?
Any rotation, even if it is not medical, will help you to develop your clinical skills and knowledge, which will only help at the application, interview and beyond.
Don’t write off a rotation, it may be the only time you work in that speciality because you don’t want to do it long-term. Be proactive and get involved with projects and opportunities which will often be transferable to your application.
Try not to seek out every Gastro patient under your care; there will be plenty of time to do that, but use your rotation to gain other skills, e.g. chest drains on a respiratory or thoracic surgery rotation, joint aspirations on Orthopaedics, etc.
You can also use your spare time to get involved with other areas, as previously described or study and take exams such as MRCP.
Top 3 Tips for Getting Into Gastroenterology
- Start planning as soon as you know you want to do Gastroenterology.
Be critical of your CV and start making plans to fill in weaker areas as you go through your training.
- Make contact with Gastroenterology senior colleagues early at each hospital you rotate through.
Being proactive and interested will always result in opportunities, so take them when they arise! Get into clinics, MDTs, and endoscopy so you understand the day-to-day reality of being a Gastroenterologist.
- Interview practice, interview practice, interview practice.
The more familiar you are with the interview process, the less daunting it will be and the better you will score. Practising with current SPRs is particularly helpful.
