Our Launch Pad columnist Sarah Sillito (Newcastle, UK), who ran the Rouleaux Club Introduction to Vascular Surgery Course at the recent Charing Cross (CX) International Symposium (23–25 April, London, UK), writes about the importance of there being “mutual respect and trust between teacher and learner” when it comes to surgical education.
It was great to be down at the CX Symposium again this year. It was another hugely successful conference, and I cannot get my head around the organisation that must be involved in running such an event!
This year at CX, I ran the Rouleaux Club Introduction to Vascular Surgery Course. It’s become an annual staple at the event and places on the course were sold out again. I always enjoy meeting the delegates and getting to know how they have become interested in vascular surgery and seeing how keen they are to learn, even sometimes showing off some of the amazing surgical skills they have learnt so far.
Teaching and education are something that I enjoy hugely. Having the opportunity to see someone grasp a new concept or skill, or simply just sharing the knowledge and experience you have gained is so rewarding. As doctors, teaching is an inherent part of our jobs whether this be teaching medical students in the classroom or trainees within theatre. It’s how we have all got to where we are today. It’s often hard to find the time within our busy work schedules to spend a dedicated amount of time with students or trainees, which is one of the reasons I enjoy running the Introduction to Vascular Surgery Courses as part of the Rouleaux Club.
In my current role as a core surgical trainee, I’m required to rotate through different surgical specialties to help me gain a broad base of competencies before specialising in vascular surgery. Working in a specialty that you don’t have much experience in can be tough and the learning curve is often steep. I try to approach my placements with an open mind and get stuck in, even though I know that specialty may not to be my long-term career. I make it known to those around me that I am enthusiastic to learn, and this usually results in being given the opportunity to try new things, but not always. Learning in the workplace often relies heavily on a culture of reciprocity which unfortunately isn’t always met or encouraged for whatever reason. Having been both a learner and an educator, I know how frustrating this can be and how detrimental it is to the teacher-learner relationship. I certainly do not claim to be perfect when I wear either of these hats, but I have become more mindful of how I behave. Fostering a culture of reciprocity by having mutual respect and trust between teacher and learner is a key to success. Both parties must be present and in agreement to participating otherwise the learning will be diminished. Being mindful and encouraging of this is one way to nurture the culture of reciprocity thus creating meaningful educational experiences for the teacher and learner.
Sarah Sillito is a year one core surgical trainee in the North East of England and education rep for the Rouleaux Club.
