TOWARDS EFFECTIVE ON-THE-JOB LEARNING - THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PEDIATRIC TRAINING GUIDE

Current clinical service pressures often prevent the delivery of good postgraduate training for senior house officers. Learning on the job a llows service and training to be combined. A pocket-sized training gui de to support on-the-job learning was developed for senior house offic ers in paediatrics. The guide adopted a task-based approach, using com mon clinical problems (tasks) as the focus for learning. A combination of clinical information, practical management tips and suggestions fo r further learning opportunities was included. Some sections of the gu ide allowed individualization and users were encouraged to note local information, document progress and add personal comments. Guides were distributed to over one hundred senior house officers in paediatric un its throughout Scotland, with the support of local tutors. Preliminary evaluation suggests such a guide may prove a useful tool in supportin g on-the-job learning.