Title : The ENT Run Through Pilot: a questionnaire survey of 23 trainees
Keywords : Education, Otolaryngology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Pilot Projects
Key Points :
Ethical Considerations :
Ethical approval was not required.
Background :
The Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialty is known to be underrepresented in the undergraduate curriculum and competition for ST3 posts fell to 1.63 applicants per post in 2016.1,2 Core surgical training was seen as a contributing factor, defocusing and demotivating ENT trainees. The ENT run through programme, introduced in 2018, aimed to improve early recruitment to the specialty by allowing trainees to begin specialist training at ST1. In addition, the run through pilot aimed to provide geographical training stability, competition free transition to ST3, early engagement with ENT UK and refocused ENT training in the early years.3 Candidate selection occurred at the core surgical interview and is a highly competitive process with 1870 and 1896 applicants in 2018 and 2019 respectively for all surgical specialities.4,5
This study aims to understand what makes a successful interview applicant and the experience of the run through trainees’ during the ST1 and ST2 years. The General Medical Council requested evaluation of the programme which this study goes someway to address.
Materials and Methods :
A questionnaire survey was sent to all current ENT ST1 and ST2 run through trainees in England on 6th November 2019. The survey had three aims: to identify the background of successful candidates, to determine the satisfaction of the run through trainees and investigate progression to ST3. The questionnaire results were recorded on google forms online.