Teaching in the North of the region: Anaesthesia

Primary, Final, Post Fellowship study days & FICM Teaching Days are run throughout the year. We encourage everyone to attend in person but understand that there are times when this is not possible and virtual attendance can be arranged.

All residents are welcome to attend our Primary FRCA deanery teaching days and are encouraged to join them as early as possible once they have started anaesthetics training. The 12 days across the year cover all the major subjects in the FRCA exam and include exam preparation for both the SBA and Viva/OSCE components. All residents are welcome, from those who have just started anaesthetics and aren’t yet thinking about their exams or those close to taking them. Teaching days can be attended more than once if a refresher is needed closer to the exams.

The app Spond is used for advertising, registration and communications for the days, the link for joining the relevant group on Spond is: https://group.spond.com/GIPZX. The Group CODE is GIPZX if prompted for it.

We have a Stage 1 Education Representative who helps coordinate the Teaching days and collate feedback on the Study days. Any queries about the Primary Teaching days please get in touch with the Education Representative

Final FRCA teaching days run on an annual cycle covering the core clinical areas of the Final FRCA curriculum. We vary the day of the week to ensure fair access for those who are LTFT.

The app Spond is used for advertising, registration and communications for the days, the link for joining the relevant group on Spond is: https://spond.com/invite/GQTQM

There is also a WhatsApp group: Final FRCA days that is used for queries and on the day communication. This can be joined from the North of the region anaesthesia community or the direct link to join is: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GdJ3Mfm72Z5IkUSFwJhyX5?mode=ems_copy_t

There are approximately seven PFSDs a year, please see Events tab for a full list. These are organised by the senior Resident doctors for post fellowship Resident doctors. Each hospital within the rotation takes it in turn to organise the study days. 

All anaesthetic Resident doctors will beinvited to attendthe Novice Anaesthetics Course during their first 3 months of training. The course is held in Bristol and consists of 2 consecutive days in the second month and a third day in the third month of training. The course is Simulation based has been running for many years and consistently receives excellent feedback.

Runs twice a year and provides an introduction to obstetric anaesthesia and provides simulation training prior to going on call in obstetrics

Revision and Mock Exams

Please see the SWAT website for details of Primary OCSE (SWORD) and SOE (SAVED) revision courses which run prior to each exam sitting.

https://swatgroupanaesthesia.wixsite.co.uk/

Bristol Q is a weekly revision session in the 6 weeks leading up to the written final FRCA.

It is run virtually, where questions are sent out weekly and then answers are given and discussed over a zoom session one evening.

It is free and the only commitment is a mock question after you have sat the exam. 
Anyone interested in participating please email bristolqcourse@gmail.com with your name and mobile number.

Other Courses

We run a number of other courses to complement your clinical experience. All of which are fully funded so are free for residents.  These courses are advertised on the Weekly newsletter emailed to all residents on the training programme. Some of the courses available are:

  • Difficult Airway Rescue Technique Course (DART) – course covering anticipated and unanticipated difficult airway plans. From anticipated difficult airway, to front of neck and extubating of high-risk cases. Mostly practical stations with some tutorials. 
  • Awake Fibreoptic course – practical course covering theory and practicalities of AFOI. Get hands on practice with scopes and on volunteers (usually each other) so need to be willing to have it done to you (with topicalisation of course!). 
  • One Heart – Simulation event for Resident doctors rotating through cardiac ICU and theatres addressing management, emergencies and cardiac physiology.
  • One Brain- This is a one-day course covering principles of the management of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical Care Emergencies. It is aimed at all post-Primary Core Anaesthetic Resident doctors and pre-Fellowship Specialty Anaesthetic Resident doctors.
  • One Lung – Course covering the management of one lung ventilation including Double Lumen Tube insertion, bronchial blockers and rapid one lung isolation with a mixture of tutorials and practical sessions
  • STRICT 2- (SW Training in Critical-Care Transfers) is a transfer course aimed at those in stage 2 Anaesthetics and/or ICM training who want to gain more confidence and experience in inter-hospital transfer of critically ill patients.