Evaluation of the importance of Role Models or Mentors For Paediatric Surgical Versus Paediatric Grid-Medical Trainees at a Tertiary Paediatric Centre

Abstract

Background: The Royal College of Surgeons and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health describe how mentorship is important to their trainees. There is little research looking specifically at trainees in subspecialty training, looking at the influence senior colleagues as mentors or role models have on the career progression of these trainees. Aims: I looked at the impact senior colleagues have had on registrars in paediatric surgery and grid-medical trainees. Looking at: clinical reasoning; clinical skills; dealing with other doctors; leadership skills and professionalism. I looked at the impact; positive and negative senior colleagues as mentors or role models have had on these trainees. Methods: I carried out structured interviews with 3 paediatric surgical and 3 grid-medical registrars, looking to identify the impact the above factors had on the trainees as junior doctors and ultimately on their career progression. The responses from the trainees was analysed to gain an overview of their thoughts and underlying codes and content analysis was used to extract overriding themes It is clear from this project that paediatric medical and surgical registrars have very similar views on role models or mentors.