Junior Rotations

 

There are six blocks in the junior rotations each split into three sections: surgery, medicine and community. Each block lasts for seven weeks. For junior rotations you are in the same place for each section, so if you are on outblock in Kettering for your first surgical block, then for your second surgical block you will also be in Kettering. This should mean for your third and fourth blocks you will be in Leicester. You tend to spend around half of your blocks on outblock. 

 

Surgery

 

MSK/Orthopaedics: This block is about building on your knowledge of all the anatomy learnt in the dissection room and applying this to real life situations. There is never a dull moment on this block due to all the activities you can do - surgery, fracture clinic, elective clinic and spending time on the wards. Also look forward to putting plaster casts on each other! Spend time reviewing the common injuries and fractures - especially neck of femur fractures! 

 

General surgery: The main surgical focus of this block is Gastrointestinal surgery, but you may be able to watch other surgeries including vascular, breast and urology. Try and get scrubbed up in this block, as it is much more interesting to watch the surgery close up, and you will actually be able to hear the questions the surgeons ask you. The other important part of this block is anaesthetics, when not scrubbed in, try and get involved with the anaesthetist, as they allow you to get involved, but also will be knowledgeable about the surgery. In most places you will have a vascular week, where you will be attached to the vascular surgeons (Kettering does not have a vascular week, but you can organise to watch surgery and go to clinics, so you won't miss out!) Another part of this placement is the ITU week where you get to watch how Doctors deal with the most critical patients. 

 

Medicine

 

General medicine: General medicine is a very large block that encompasses four specialitis: gastroenterology, endocrinology (including diabetes), rheumatology and renal medicine.. Although in some places you are able to see each speciality, in others (such as Leicester) you are only attached to one speciality, so make sure you sign up to a clinic from each speciality so you have an understanding of how patients present. Your time will be mainly split between wards and clincs. Taking time for self study is imperative in this block, as there is a lot of material to cover. 

 

Cardiorespiratory: This block, as its name suggests is split between cardiology and respiratory.. Although only two specialies, there is a similar content level to the general medicine block as you are taught in more detail. This is a block where you should perfect reatding both ECG's and Chest X-ray's, until you know them like the back of your hand. Also take this opportunity to become familiar with heart sounds and the respiratory examination. You iwll also spend one week of this block on CCU and one week on CDU. 

 

Community

 

Psychiatry: Your psychiatry block will be split between elderly psychiatry, general adult psychiatry and community psychiatry. Take every opportuinty to talk to patients as it presents, as patients may refuse to talk to you. Spend your time learning the pharmacology of psychiatry as well as the conditions, as the pharmacology is complicated and you are often tested on it!

 

Primary care: For this block you are placed in one of several GP's, the only outblocks for this are Corby and Northampton, all the rest are inblock. Here you spend all seven weeks in the GP practice (there is no introweek) and will come across the most common illnesses GPs face. This is an excellent revision block, so make the most of it. Don't be put off if this is one of your first blocks, you will not be expected to know the specialities in great detail and it will put you ahead for other blocks. Spend time perfecting your history taking and examination skills for the exam