APPRENTICESHIP
EXPECTATIONS FOR TRAINEE INTERNS
IN THE CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT
April 2019
The main purpose of the Trainee Intern (TI) year is to allow students to function as an
apprentice within a healthcare team. As an apprentice, the TI is expected to develop skil s in
clinical assessment and prioritisation, certain medical procedures, time management and
working within a team.
The Otago Medical School (OMS) recognises the dual role of TIs, in being primarily students
continuing to be engaged in their undergraduate learning, but also providing some service on
the teams that they are attached to.
National y and international y, the issue of workplace wel being and working hours has had
increased attention. Therefore, OMS recognises the need to put in place processes that
safeguard student wel being.
Considerations informing the formulation of expectations for Otago Medical school (OMS) TIs
are: - Allowing for TIs to optimise their learning within a working team, recognising
opportunities for learning vary widely within and between clinical attachments.
- Maintaining student wel -being, by al owing flexibility to balance clinical attachments
with academic study requirements and sufficient time for rest and fulfilment of social
roles.
- Recognising that TIs are adult learners, about to face the transition to the self-
management of continuing professional development that is required by medical
practitioners as part of ongoing competency for practice.
- Preparing students for work as a Resident Medical Officer while maintaining positive
relationships with future col eagues in District Health Boards, within which TIs wil be
employed.
- Providing for sufficient practical experience and responsibility in caring directly for
patients.
OMS’s expectations are as fol ows:
- A TI wil not normally be expected to function as an apprentice within a clinical
attachment team/s for more than 10 days (with maximum 2 ‘long days’) in a 14-day
period.
- Being an apprentice with a clinical team for ful days, 10 days in a row is unlikely to
provide an optimal balance of learning opportunities and rest and should be
discouraged.
- If TIs have been required to be present over a weekend, TIs and their clinical
supervisors are expected to negotiate appropriate absence from their attachment so
that it does not disrupt their learning or the clinical team functioning.
- TI’s are not expected to attend with a clinical team for any single ‘long day’ for longer
than the usual rostered 15 hours.
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- TIs are expected to manage their attendance with their clinical team so that they are
able to participate in formal teaching sessions provided as part of their TI module. On
days off from clinical team attachment that fal from Monday to Friday, attendance at
formal teaching is expected.
- If a TI is required to apprentice on public holidays, they should be al owed one day’s
leave in lieu of this, to be taken at an appropriate time within the same module. This
leave should be discussed with the senior members of the team to arrange a day that
is beneficial for all parties and where there are unlikely to be any significant impact on
the clinical team as a result of TI absence.
Other considerations relevant to TI workload and time management to be noted are:
1. Trainee Interns receive a training grant from Vote Education that is administered by
the University of Otago. They are not paid by the DHB and should not be asked to
perform excessive service tasks regardless of perceived educational value.
2.
TI’s wil also need time during the day to prepare for end of run assessments.
3.
To maximise their educational experience, every TI should discuss their progress
throughout their attachment from their team Registrar(s) and Consultant, with a
scheduled opportunity midway through the module. Teachers should discuss any
concerns with TIs as early as possible, so they have time to demonstrate that they have
learnt from feedback.
Any TI who is facing difficulty with applying these guidelines in their clinical attachment should
contact the Module Convenor in the first instance but may also wish to contact the Associate
Dean Student Affairs.
Any Module convenor with concerns about the fair and just application of these guidelines
should speak with their Head of Department.
APPROVED BY MCC 12 APRIL 2019
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