The Junior Curriculum

  • Neurosurgery is complex and made more difficult by how little time is dedicated to its teaching in undergraduate medical training.

  • SHO grade neurosurgery can be intense, especially for new FY2s. Two different SHOs can go through the same four month firm and come out having learnt radically dissimilar amounts of neurosurgery.

  • The aim of our junior neurosurgery curriculum is to define learning objectives for a four-month block of neurosurgery.

  • Each FY2, ST1, JCF, and SSW starting on neurosurgery will thus be guaranteed to finish four months with a definite set of skills and knowledge of the basics.

  • This will set them up for further neurosurgical training with us, or allow them to transfer that skill set to other areas of medicine with overlapping training pathways (for example trauma surgery, orthopaedic surgery, anesthetics, intensive care, paediatrics, medicine, and ED).

  • The curriculum is embedded in our SHO teaching program, and should be used as a guide for the mentoring program and workplace based assessments (WBA).

Testing and feedback

Other than life itself, there is no test. We will not be setting you an exam and marking you. In fact the opposite is true. Its important to us that after four months of training with us you should be a more safe, skilled, and happy doctor. If not then the failure will be ours.

With that in mind we do collect feedback at the start and end of each four month rotation, please be honest so that we can improve as teachers.

If you truly want to test yourself then try the Rapid Rounds Test: you should be able to speak aloud, freely, and accurately for one minute about each of the sub-topics below. Feel free to give this a go in your mentoring sessions.

Topics

The curriculum is divided into four main topics:

Mr Patel head of neurosurgery teaching SHOs

Knowledge

CBD / CEX.

  • ABCD: Neuro sick adult

  • ABCD: Neuro sick baby

  • ABCD: Status Epilepticus

  • ABCD: Major trauma

  • ABCD: Spine

  • The surgical drug chart

  • Hydrocephalus

  • Sodium and water

  • Brain tumours

  • Functional in a nutshell

  • Neurovascular problems

  • Key anatomy

Demonstrating bony anatomy for Oxford Neurosurgery

Skills

DOPS.

  • The neurosurgical exam

  • Scrubbing and prepping

  • Suturing and wound care

  • Drains start to finish

  • Cranial and lumbar access

  • Valves and reservoirs

  • ICP insert and understand

  • Pumps and electronics

Trainee in neurosurgery teaching juniors

Law and Ethics

CBD / CEX.

  • Decisions and adults

  • Decisions and kids

  • Mistakes

  • Vulnerability

  • Ethical models

  • Crisis management

Mr Rory Piper for Oxford Neurosurgery

Project

Whilst with us you should carry out a project. This could be a:

  • Audit.

  • Quality improvement project.

  • Teaching project.

Regardless, as this project will have to be completed in four months, you should stick to the SMART criteria.


Meeting the 2021 ISCP Curriculum

At Oxford Neurosurgery we like to plan ahead. The neurosurgical run-through program is eight years long, but this passes quickly. Its imperative that your training program is both tailored to you and meets national curriculum standards.

Oxford Neurosurgery's phase 1 training system, inline with the specifications of the August 2021 curriculum.