Being a Good Trainer
Being a good trainer is one of the most important roles you will undertake as a consultant. It is multi-faceted and dynamic, and should be responsive to your trainee’s needs at that particular point in their journey to becoming a consultant and also a future trainer themselves. Although it is a huge privilege to be a trainer, the demands upon your time from the other elements of the job can draw you away from delivering good training, and you may find some trainees more challenging to train than others. Training is a skill that some have more naturally than others, but one which we must hone with self-reflection and CPD just as we would any surgical skill.
Get the basics right
There are some set piece responsibilities laid down by the GMC and JCST that are essential for your to be recognised as a trainer. You must engage with ISCP, and as an Educational Supervisor (ES) meet with your trainee regularly to complete learning agreements and review their portfolio. As a Clinical Supervisor (CS) you must engage with the Multi-consultant Report (MCR) process, and assess the trainee with Work-based Assessments (WBAs) in a constructive and timely fashion. These are the minimum requirements for being a good trainer, but there is so much more you can do to be a GREAT trainer.
ISCP Tools
The Trainer Area within ISCP has under-recognised tools such as your personal profile page which you can share with trainees. This has huge potential to set the trainee’s expectations of their placement with you, explain how they can maximise their experience and give them recommended reading and resources for your practice. There is the facility to gather anonymous feedback from trainees and fellow trainers for your own personal development and appraisal. You can also evidence your engagement with training activities, for example the number and timeliness of your WBA completion.
Feedback
The ability to give feedback well is a key skill. Feedback should be timely and ideally just after the procedure or interaction you have witnessed. Develop a culture of giving feedback frequently and informally, so that you can practice your skills for when they are required in more formal or high-stakes settings. Give honest, candid feedback on areas that the trainee could develop, as well as giving praise when they have performed well.
Allow trainees to develop leadership skills
This is a key area of the curriculum for trainees to learn, but this can be challenging in the hierarchical structure we work in. As well as role-modelling positive leadership behaviours, be prepared to stand back and observe the trainee lead meetings, ward rounds and theatre lists, and give them feedback.
Deliver training within your service
This can be challenging, but consider every interaction with a patient or another staff member as a learning opportunity. Schedule lists and clinics with training in mind if you can – lessening the volume and varying the case mix to address the learning needs of your trainee. Set your trainee’s expectations of what they can get out of your service, and also the wider team’s expectations that you will be training and this may take additional time. As much as possible, allow the trainees to perform as first operator. They will be exposed to fewer cases than you were as a trainee and really need to maximise every opportunity with your expert supervision.
Build psychological safety
Trainees need to feel safe in order to learn. Encourage them to ask questions, challenge and share their perspectives, and you will likely learn from them in the process. Share your decision-making with them so they can learn this key cognitive skill and see how you have overcome clinical set-backs and professional challenges.
The ‘Problem Trainee’
You may encounter a trainee that you do not feel you get on with. Recognise when the training relationship is not productive and seek support from individuals like your TPD.
You are likely to work with trainees who are struggling. They may have personal challenges and need additional support, and it is crucial to recognise that we see only one facet of an individual in the workplace. You may be able discuss and support the trainee, but often your role is to actively listen, appreciating that you cannot ‘fix the problem’ and signpost the trainee to other sources of support, and with the trainee’s consent, escalate to the Educational Supervisor or TPD.
Trainer train thyself!
Being an excellent trainer in the workplace should be your goal, and requires an investment to develop your training skills. The BOA has a range of courses including Training Orthopaedic Trainers (TOTs) and Training Orthopaedic Educational Supervisors (TOES), and your local Medical Education Department or national bodies such as HEE also offer trainer training. If you would like to develop further to support your trainees, teach on regional and national courses, consider applying for roles on your Training Committee or become an FRCS Examiner.
Finally, enjoy your time as trainer. Trainees bring enthusiasm, fresh perspectives and a cognitive diversity which should be embraced.