Hello readers, I am Pihu, an IMG from India, and I have done two clinical attachments after my PLAB 2 exam. Getting a clinical attachment has gotten a little difficult these days, but not impossible. And once you get the opportunity, make full use of it. Doing a clinical audit is one of those things. In this blog, I am going to discuss ways to complete an audit and its importance in your CV.
I will discuss in this blog the following:
- How to initiate an audit
- Role of the hospital's audit team
- Value of audits in your resume
- Some final tips
Jump straight in
I can understand that adjusting to new people's new place of work can be tough, but it is the beginning of a memorable journey. I want to convey that; ideally, you should start with the audit from day 1 of your clinical attachment. It begins by talking to your consultant about your intentions, and they can even help you with the topic.
To give you an idea of the topic, all you need is NICE guidelines on a particular topic and see whether it's being adhered to in the hospital. Once you have the topic, choose whether you can do it retrospectively, which will save you a lot of time, and you can actually finish within a month. After finalizing the topic, aims and objectives, methodology, and team members, approach the Audit/ clinical governance team of your hospital.
Audit team of hospital
If you don't know their role, then to summarise, they are the ones who will help you in the beginning, middle, and end of your project. You need to submit a proposal which needs to be approved by them before you can start working on your audit.
This step may take time, and hence, it is important to contact them early on. They may also provide retrospective data and help you in planning. Toward the end, you have to prepare and submit a report that includes the results, conclusions, your learnings, etc., after which you will receive your certificate.
Not only that, the audit team frequently conducts audits in the hospital, and you can help in data collection or report writing, which will yield you another certificate.
Why go through all this hassle?
It may seem like an added task, but it is a very valuable addition to your resume and job applications. If you have applied for jobs in the NHS, you will know that there is a separate section for audits. If you do not have any audits in your name, unfortunately, you will have to leave it blank. It may impact your applications as experience and interest in audits are essential/ desirable criteria in the jobs.
Not only that, but ultimately, the goal is to enter into the training programme, and if you can show interest in audits in the beginning, it will create a positive impact. It may be difficult to get oriented to it at first, as it is not commonly done in other countries, but trust me, it is easy.
Final tips to successfully finish an audit
1. Start ASAP, preferably from the first day
2. Be in contact with your clinical audit team at the hospital
3. Be thorough with your objectives and methodology, as it helps you write a report faster
4. If you have less time, you may involve other junior doctors in your audit, who can help in data collection, statistics, report writing, etc.
5. Present your audits at conferences or even in your team meetings in the wards; you will be appreciated
6. If you are stuck at any point, don't hesitate to ask someone. People are very friendly and will not mind helping you move forward.
Need more tips and advice?
If you have any questions about clinical audit and its steps, I would be happy to answer them at trewlink.com. You can register using this link. Find me as an Ambassador and follow my profile – Pihu Arora - to receive regular support and advice.