Hear from the RCOG Trainees’ Committee Executive team as they introduce themselves, explain their roles and discuss what they hope to achieve this term
ST7, Bradford Teaching Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust
I first got involved with the College back in 2019 as the regional representative for Yorkshire & Humber. I later became the Vice Chair for Strategy and became the Chair of NTC in January 2024. I became more involved with the RCOG because I wanted to help advance training for trainees and ensure the opportunities were widely available to all trainees. Outside of work I enjoy the outdoors and can be found climbing and mountain biking!
In my role as your chair, I report to the RCOG Council, which is led by President Ranee Thakar. This is where all of the main business of the College is discussed and agreed, and all committees ultimately report into Council. As well as chairing the National Trainees Committee, I attend the Education Board, Specialty Education Assurance Committee (SEAC), Finance & General Purpose committee and RCOG Council. This gives me a unique perspective in that I have a solid understanding of how the RCOG is structured and functions, as well as the College’s overall aims.
It is essential that, as the executive NTC team, we are able to accurately represent your views and we will always welcome your engagement with us. We have 24 regional trainee representatives in addition to several honorary members. This allows us to understand local issues and highlight these at a national level. We also have trainee representation on every committee within the RCOG. This is a unique collaboration and something that we are particularly proud of – with 49 committees, this is no small feat.
As a committee, we have agreed several priorities to focus on over the next year.
Our areas of focus
Gynaecology surgical training is an ongoing issue, particularly since the pandemic. We wish to support trainees nationally by supporting this important RCOG project and collaborating to devise proposals to improve opportunities to trainees. This project will incorporate open, laparoscopic, robotic and obstetric complex operating.
Workplace based cultures have been highlighted as an ongoing issue most recently highlighted in the Kirkup report. We will collaborate with the RCOG Workforce team to improve working conditions for trainees and to empower them to change cultures in their local units. We wish to reduce attrition rates in our speciality and celebrate the excellent work of clinicians working within our speciality.
Maternity safety remains an ongoing national priority and we must support women to ensure they receive the best maternity care possible. We recognise that times are difficult and want to ensure trainees working in Trusts that have been involved in national incidents feel supported.
Exams remains a source of stress for trainees and we wish to support trainees as much as possible until they become a Member of the RCOG. We will continue to have representation on exam committees and support senior trainees to assist writing the questions for these exams. We also hope to collaborate with the Events team to improve the revision courses for trainees.
Ultrasound training remains very variable across the country and we would like to develop and share areas of good practice to support the development of ultrasound scan training, which will become even more important in the new advanced training curriculum.
ST5, Great Western Hospital, Severn
I am Vice Chair for Quality on the National Trainees Committee, which means that I have a role in the quality of our training. I sit on the RCOG Patient Safety Committee, RCOG Clinical Quality Board and the Academy of Trainee Doctors Committee as the trainee representative for obstetrics and gynaecology. The Academy of Trainee Doctors Committee is particularly interesting as it includes a representative from every College or Faculty with training doctors, so it can be a great way for getting ideas and troubleshooting national issues.
I am currently working with the Academy of Trainee Doctors Committee to review the mandatory costs of training and rotational components of our training. I also review the documents that come through the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality group and run the annual Trainee Trainer and Trainer of the Year Award. I got involved in the National Trainees Committee because, as an ST5, I feel ‘in the middle’ of training, giving me oversight on what is difficult for junior and senior trainees. I feel passionately that training can be difficult and that we should share resources and innovations nationally.
My interests are the same as all of us – holidays, a decent flat white and being outdoors (to recharge before being back on labour ward!).
ST6, Bradford Royal Infirmary, West Yorkshire
As Vice Chair for Strategy and Membership, my role is to provide a trainee voice when it comes to making decisions on the membership and strategies of the RCOG. I sit on the Membership Board and the Finance and General Purposes Committee, which involves prorating the needs of the college’s members at all levels, from medical students to retired members. Working with the Membership Board is an excellent way of forging networks with colleagues at all points in their O&G career, all of whom want to make improvements for the College, their peers and most importantly the patients that they serve.
I joined the Trainees’ Committee this year as I have had some real highs and lows within my training so far, and I wanted to use my experience to help improve and shape things for other trainees so that we can all provide the best care for women and their communities in the future.
Outside of work, I love exploring new places with my husband and three children, knitting and catching up with friends.
ST6, Wessex (currently OOP in post as the RCOG O&G surgical skills Clinical Fellow)
As Vice Chair for Education, I represent trainees on issues relating to our education and training. I sit on the SEAC, where all the Heads of School meet to discuss issues relating to education and Education Board, which approves all changes to our educational policies.
I came into post at the beginning of this year, so much of my work so far has been focused on the implementation of the new 2024 Curriculum including reviewing the online resources and attending the trainee webinars. I also sit on the Training Evaluation Committee, which oversees all things TEF – for example, new questions for inclusion, reviewing the data collected and the thematic reports which are produced each year. I got involved with the NTC because I have always been really passionate about teaching and training our doctors but was seeing more and more the barriers to this being done well. I therefore joined the committee to help share the brilliant educational initiatives being developed across the country, and to work with the College to help our trainees receive the educational experience they deserve.
My interests outside of medicine include a mild obsession with both coffee and Bruce Springsteen concerts.