The quality of what we do matters to all of us. It is at the heart of what makes us excellent doctors. A desire not just to do what is necessary, but to do it well, and with care.
And we see this reflected ‘in spades’ this month across the School:
- Our Y1 finding that the best quality output is achieved when everyone listens and works as a team, not individually.
- Our Y5 making the most of the daily opportunities the course has provided to develop their careers and themselves.
- The impact of pursuing excellence academically, and in sport.
- The importance of caring for others and for ourselves, in order to care well for others.
The School also takes the quality of your training seriously. Each year, the quality team and senior staff work tirelessly behind the scenes, reviewing each comment you make in your feedback and liaising with University staff and Placement managers on adaptations that reflect points you have shared. Already this year, the School has undertaken formal reviews of placements at Alder Hey, Blackpool, Clatterbridge, Mid Mersey, Liverpool Women’s, the Royal, Southport, Warrington and Whiston, working with the Trust Chief Executive Officers and Medical Directors, as well as the education teams, to support enhancements. This is in addition to a constant cycle of contact with all University and Placement teams, to work on your end of block and placement feedback suggestions.
Of course, the quality of our review process is entirely dependent on having your constructive feedback after every block and every placement. Please do look out for the requests to do so. Your (anonymised) comments are read by the people who have delivered your learning. Staff and placement sites really appreciate your encouragement when you note something great, or someone who has gone the extra mile. Equally, it is good to have your constructive, practical comment on specific points that could help us build from strength to strength, as a wider school team of staff and students.
In this, I would also like to thank your year reps who have supported very helpful dialogue to ensure we can continue to work well together, to give you the best training experience possible.
With just one more newsletter to go until the end of year, I encourage you to recommend fellow students, or indeed educators, who in your eyes have gone above and beyond for a Commendation. I think we can all appreciate how good it feels to know someone has noticed and appreciated our efforts.
There is also the opportunity to nominate a student for this year’s Spirit of Liverpool School of Medicine Prize and I am really looking forward to being a part of that panel and to be inspired once again by the talent, creatively and altruism on display here at the School.