Emergency Medicine Certificate (EMC) graduate Dr Alasdair McFadyen is originally from the UK. He had completed his foundation training and worked in the National Health Service for four years before moving to Australia in 2018.
He landed at Redcliffe Emergency Department, where he is a Principal House Officer and where he first heard of the EMC.
‘I was unsure whether I was going to stay in Australia or not. When I heard about it I thought it was a good way to continue my development as a doctor in emergency medicine, while also giving me an insight into life as a FACEM trainee,’ Alasdair says.
‘It was a win–win in that I could also use it to strengthen my application [to RCEM] back home.’
Alasdair says the EMC is a challenging program, but highly rewarding and something he happily recommends others to pursue.
‘My advice first and foremost is to sign up! I hummed and hawed for a bit first, but found in the end that the program encouraged me to expose myself to all different presentations and patients attending the emergency department.
‘It has made me a more rounded emergency physician.’
Alasdair says the program teaches the core skills required for working everyday in the emergency department.
‘I gained confidence in dealing with varied symptoms and conditions and that enables me to provide better care for patients.
He recommends anyone taking up the program always have their procedural checklist and workplace-based assessment sheets on the floor of the department.
‘It makes it easier to get things signed off at the time you do them. I tried to complete one WBA a week and found slow and steady really does win the race.’
Alasdair now intends to return home to pursue specialist qualifications with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
‘I have been very lucky to experience emergency medicine in Australia, but I’ve decided the NHS in Scotland is for me. I'm not sure my skin will survive another Queensland summer.’
Background
The latest cohort of EMC graduates completed their final exam in late November 2019.
The EMC and EMD are aimed at providing doctors working in Emergency Departments with adequate knowledge and sufficient clinical experience to be safe, efficient practitioners. The courses benefit Career Medical Officers, Junior Medical Officers and Visiting Medical Officers/GPs.
Eligibility and enrolment details are available here.