Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 1 of 10

NEWSLETTER Tablelands Clinical School April 2017

Clinical Dean - Associate Professor Phillip Braslins

Dear colleagues and students Our Tablelands Clinical School (TCS) newsletter is a great read this month. There’s been so much going on - a wealth of thought provoking and inspiring teaching and learning. A highlight for me last month was meeting our new graduates and hearing from them about how their experience at TCS and Armidale hospital has prepared them for their career. I would like to thank everybody who has contributed to teaching at TCS and especially all of our hard working clinicians at Armidale hospital, without whom none of this would be possible. I feel very privileged to be able to work with the office team at TCS who have managed many challenges, juggling all the time to keep all the balls in the air. Please read their stories which follow, which I know you will enjoy. Autumn is such a beautiful time in Armidale. I thought I would share with you some of the local colour.

Autumn in the New England area is spectacular

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 2 of 10

Simulation Lab - Alison McDonald & Ben Cowley

The 4th and 5th year students are now involved in many different adult simulations with the Women & Children’s Health (WACH) students repeatedly saving the life of Sim Newby and Sim Junior. The simulations went on excursions in the last few weeks with firstly an unconscious patient found in the toilet requiring immediate resuscitation and then extraction. This made for a change of scenery and a more realistic scenario than a cardiac arrest in a bed.

We also had quite a tragic circumstance when "Barry" jumped from the third floor balcony and landed on the second floor cement with a large splat.

The students had to resuscitate the patient several times…… as soon as Barry started breathing again and they attended to his other injuries, Barry would stop breathing. After stabilizing the patient the next task was to safely transfer him to the Emergency Department. Luckily for Barry, after a long stint in rehab he will make a full recovery. There are ongoing investigations into whether he was pushed or fell and questioning continues at the time of publication.

Students rush to the scene with Kerby & Dan leading the way….

The patient was resuscitated …..but minutes later…no pulse ………..

Chilling screams for help vibrated throughout the TCS corridors as patient “Barry” is discovered by a passerby

Ben Cowley & Alison McDonald

CPR starts immediately while the other students race for the emergency trolley

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 3 of 10

A big thank you to our ever suffering cleaning staff who assist us in getting (fake) blood stains off the floor. We have been very busy in the last week with the 2 day Ultrasound Workshop. Tablelands Clinical School hosts this event twice each year, inviting 5th year students from Taree and Tamworth to join our Armidale based 5th years. This was a great opportunity for the students to be hands on and learn how to use ultrasound, including peripheral cannulation, central line insertion, finding foreign bodies and inserting a chest drain. I am sorry to say that lots of jelly was harmed in the making of this workshop.

Resuscitated once again! Now to move the patient with obvious neck, back & limb injuries off the floor & into the Emergency Department….but wait….he’s stopped breathing again….

The patient’s condition is assessed & monitored in the ED under the watchful eyes of Drs Kenneth Gilpin & Rod Martin

Ben Cowley, Sim Lab Manager & Tim Harris, Education Support Officer in preparation for the ultrasound workshop, creating various jelly based models for cannulation practice

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 4 of 10

Included in the workshop was a simulation of an Emergency Department scenario that demonstrated how Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) and Rapid Ultrasound for Shock (RUSH) is used. Craig had been hit by a car and ultrasound was used to diagnose his internal bleeding. With the help of some make up remover Craig also made a full recovery.

Alex Moran, Sonographer introduces the Yr 5 medical students to the workshop with the fundamentals of ultrasound

Student Tierney Spillane practices her technique, supervised by Dr Rommel Dahiroc

Simulation patient Craig Hearps with Sim Lab Manager (& make-up artist extraordinaire) Alison McDonald

Dr Nick Ryan, Director of the Emergency Medicine Department, Tamworth Hospital joined the Armidale team to provide specialist instruction

Instructors Dr Rod Martin & Dr Hadi Nojoumian

Manning, Peel & Tablelands medical students with their instructors & support team at the bi-annual 2 day Ultrasound Workshop held at TCS in April 2017

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 5 of 10

Year 4/5 Medical Student Teaching – Kelsey Morgan

Year 4: Semester One is more than half over now, with Revision Week and Assessment Weeks fast approaching. We’ll be holding the MEDI4016 Surgery VIVAs at the TCS, with students and examiners from Tamworth travelling to Armidale to attend. In Semester 2 we will return the favour and travel to Tamworth for the Surgery VIVAs. At the end of Semester, the MEDI4015 students will be heading to a few Teddy Bear Clinics at the local primary schools, where the children bring in a soft toy for the student doctors to examine. It’s one of my favourite parts of this role, when I get to attend, so I’m very much looking forward to them! Year 5: Fifth year medical students from Tamworth, Armidale and Taree braved the wilderness of Lake Keepit Sport and Recreation Camp for a week in February. Here participants underwent tests of fortitude, teamwork and the improvisation of medical devices from found objects, all with the aim of becoming skilled bush clinicians. The students were put through their paces in managing a whole range of medical issues that might arise in the wilderness, ranging from wildlife attacks to extreme temperatures, to lightning strike injuries. In teams, they were then asked to manage a series of emergencies which just so happened to pop up around the camp. The next camp will be held in Taree in October. It’s almost Primary Health Care Selective (PHCS) time for some of the Year 5 students, with Louis heading to the United States and Tom going over to the UK. I’ll be travelling to Tamworth and Newcastle for the Assessment Weeks which will be a good chance for me to catch up with my UoN counterparts and help share the assessment workload.

Kelsey Morgan

Wilderness Week at Lake Keepit Sport and Recreation Camp

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 6 of 10

Pediatrics/Obstetrics & Gynecology – A/Prof Liz Cotterell & A/Prof Nihad Abu-Asab The Women’s and Children’s Health (WACH) camp for this semester was hosted by our Taree UoNDRH colleagues at Old Bar Beach. Four days were packed with learning activities for the students from Taree, Tamworth and Armidale including a multidisciplinary simulation session and team based workshops, with just a little bit of surfing and relaxation. A strong case for vegetarianism was made on the final day for those who had indulged in the beef dish at lunch the day before, but all parties survived and made their way homeward, with a lot more knowledge and confidence in all things in women’s and children’s health.

Medicine/Surgery – A/Prof Bob French

Fourth year surgical students have completed the known and hidden surgical curricula and are about to start VIVA practice for the forthcoming exams. They have presented reports of visits to sub specialty clinics including ENT, renal and vascular. They have shown a keen interest in the simulation sessions. Meanwhile, fifth year’s have started presentation in oncology and orthopaedics.

Year 1 teaching commences at TCS

Year 1 medical students have this year commenced their teaching at the TCS each Thursday. It has been great to see these fresh, enthusiastic faces who have been introduced to clinical skills such as cardio vascular examination, hygiene and infection control techniques, ECG recording and interpretation, along with assessing vital signs and communication skills.

Students were taught to surf (among other things) at WACH Camp held at Old Bar in February. They showed off some awesome talent by all reports!

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 7 of 10

Graduation 2017

On 31st March 2017 the fifth cohort of 62 UNE students graduated from the Joint Medical Program (JMP) with a Bachelor of Medicine. Armidale put on a glorious Autumn weekend for the formal graduation ceremony held on the lawns of Booloomimbah. The School of Rural Medicine hosted a formal dinner that evening which was attended by the graduates, their proud families, official guests and equally proud tutors and staff.

Members of the fifth cohort of UNE medical students, now interns, celebrated their graduation at the annual Graduation Dinner hosted by the UNE School of Rural Medicine

UNE Graduation Day for Sciences, Health & Medicine Awards – 31st March 2017

Dr Emma Gordon received the UNE School of Rural Medicine’s Head of School Award (2016 Highest Ranked UNE JMP student) from interim Head of School Professor Geetha Ranmuthugala. Emma also took out the New England Division of General Practice’s Dr Phillip Bookallil Prize for Rural General Practice, presented by A/Prof Michelle Guppy

Dr Emma Gordon & A/Prof Michelle Guppy

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 8 of 10

It was wonderful to meet up with last year’s TCS students at their Graduation Dinner. What a celebration! After catching up with each of them, we asked them to summarise in one sentence what it’s like to be a new intern. Here’s what they said…….

“I realized on the first day how valuable and very relevant the simulation sessions in Armidale were in teaching different scenarios, as the cases you get for real have already been experienced.”

“At times challenging and stressful, but overall very rewarding.”

“A huge step up & it’s great to apply things we have learned and work in a team of medical juniors”

“5th year in Armidale sets you up perfectly for internship.”

“Going well. I miss the TCS common room!”

Reunion with our former TCS students! L to R: Muriel Dell, Dr Marcella Russell, A/Prof Bob French, Will Stobie, Dr Siobhan Kean, A/Prof Phillip Braslins, Dr Emily Agius, Gwen Palmer, Dr Hannah Sherrin, Dr Jack Hodges, Kelsey Morgan, Clementine Hammond & Dr Alicia Steller

Dr Ben Cunanan was awarded the New England Division of General Practice’s Robert French Award for Surgery. Awarded for the highest marks in Surgery over the five year course. Dr James Rodway received the Doctor’s Doctor Award & Dr Aadil Rahim was the recipient of the UNEMSA Award of Excellence.

Dr Ben Cunanan is congratulated by A/Prof Robert French

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 9 of 10

Upcoming Events at TCS - Muriel Dell

Transitional RN Education Day 12/4/17, 20/9/17, 27/9/17, 15/11/17 & 6/12/17

ALS Training for ARRH clinicians 3/5/17 & 17/5/17

UNE Open Day – TCS tours 5/5/17

DETECT Workshop ARRH 10/5/17, 23/8/17 & 4/10/17

John Hunter Hospital Trauma Evening 15/5/17

ASPIRE Maternal & Child Clinical Skills Day 21/5/17

ARRH Morbidity & Mortality Meeting 12/6/17

Train the Trainer Workshop with Prof Brian Jolly 13/7/17

Ultrasound Workshop 27-28/7/17

Grand Rounds every Wednesday (except School Holidays)

Medical Grand Rounds & Weekend Medical Handover every Friday

New Head of School

Professor Rod McClure, MBBS BA PhD FAFPHM FAICD has been appointed as the permanent Head of School, UNE School of Rural Medicine. His official commencement date is 1st May 2017, however he has already been engaging with the School for some weeks now. It is a very exciting time for us. Professor McClure’s vision for the School as well as his internationally recognized research status will take the School to the next level of excellence. Professor McClure has extensive clinical experience in emergency medicine, a PhD in injury epidemiology and specialist training in public health

medicine. He has a 20 year history in injury prevention research and is leaving his position as Director, Injury Research Institute, Monash University to move to Armidale.

UNE Open Day

On Friday, 5th May 2017 the UNE will be swarming with year 12 high school students who will have a chance to explore and find out everything they need to know about studying at university. The School of Rural Medicine will be conducting information sessions and tours of the main campus lecture theatre, PBL rooms, anatomy lab, as well as tours with simulations in the TCS laboratory and student testimonies throughout the day.

Muriel Dell

UNE Open Day for Yr 12 high school students will be held on Friday, 5th May 2017

Tablelands Clinical School Newsletter April 2017 Page 10 of 10

Trauma Evening

The Tablelands Clinical School is live streaming from the TCS Seminar Room into the John Hunter Hospital Trauma Evening on Monday, 15th May 2017 from 5.30pm – 8.30pm. This will be a very informative presentation & discussion. Supper will be provided. Please rsvp to Muriel Dell via email mdell2@une.edu.au to secure your seat.

For program details visit this website: https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/352758/JHH_trauma_evening_flyer_2017.pdf