Editorial

Every 5 years, in some areas (the rules are inconsistent), trainers are required to submit a lengthy return confirming a commitment and ability to train. In our area it is the same submission every 5 years and identical to the original approval at the start of training. A recent email reminded me that my time was up. This unwelcome arrival prompted me to reflect on continuing professional development, lifelong learning and a rekindled enthusiasm for art. The email sought reapproval but prompted disapproval and reflection.

Organisations are so often keen to demonstrate good governance by asking, from a distance, for evidence that staff have made efforts to learn and meet standards. There has been a proliferation of online courses for mandatory consumption covering everything from life support to fire safety. And who can deny that such courses can be a cost-effective way of ensuring the wide dissemination of essential information? But are we getting a bit overloaded with distance learning, remote interaction and stripped-back assessment and learning?

Reflection on learning over a professional lifetime leads me to conclude that we now have more modalities of learning to maintain our knowledge and skills than ever. We must recognise the mix of methods at our disposal and take advantage of what we are learning about how we are learning. Convenience and cost will inevitably limit how we learn and how we are assessed in our professional development. However, we can still make choices that recognise how we learn best and use methods consistent with the learning needs of a profession expected to have a wide variety of attributes and a broad range of knowledge and skills.

Lifelong learning requires motivation as a key ingredient. Learning to paint has opened my eyes to ways of seeing, different meanings of perspective and some insights into different ways of learning. Learning about art opens up a deep well of knowledge and experience every bit as demanding and intricate as that within our own discipline, although, aside from financial and existential crises, art is less often a matter of life and death. It is replete with inspiration, enthusiasm and lifelong learning that demands variety of experience, not usually a broad brush and a small palate. Learning and assessments of capability can motivate to higher professional achievement if well chosen. The opposite also applies.

InnovAiT aims to encourage and engage with different ways of learning in content and presentation. For example, each feature article includes a clinical case scenario for discussion and review with trainers and colleagues, whether in tutorials, mock consultations or self-testing. Andrew Lotfallah et al. review the management of cleft lip and palate with an emphasis on aspects most relevant to primary care. The case of 4-year-old Archie may prompt some learning around article content.

Charles Carey et al. take us through renal cancer, the seventh most common cancer, and include the case of Richard, presenting with a varicocoele. The article reviews clinical presentation and management with plenty of detail to inform discussion about the clinical case scenario.

It is important we are aware of the screening programmes offered to patients. Although we are not directly involved with them all, we need to know how they are organised and ensure good uptake and appropriate follow-up. Konstantina Rova et al. review the screening of hearing in the newborn. The case of baby Jonathan demonstrates the value of screening and subsequent management.

Head injuries are common and vary in severity. The parents of affected children are usually very anxious. The article and case scenario from Alexander Burrell and Ysabelle Embury-Young will inform you for appropriate reassurance of parents.

Knee pain is one of the most common presentations in general practice. Clare Jones and Paul Rai describe assessment and management of knee pain in general, to inform discussion about Kiran, the 21-year-old law student in their clinical case scenario.

Healthcare professionals unfortunately experience domestic abuse. It is more difficult for health professionals to get help with their health and wellbeing. This article highlights the risks of not recognising domestic abuse and the challenge of addressing this when colleagues are affected. The case of Nina addresses this issue.

We are keen to encourage a broad range of learning from the knowledge and insights within feature articles and to foster different learning modalities and methods within Crammer’s Corner and other short articles. If you have suggestions or can tell us about your own learning from the pages of InnovAiT, then please submit an article. We are keen to learn.

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