Senior paediatric specialist registrars' experience in management

Background There is an increasing focus on trainees acquiring management skills which form part of college curricula and the guidance provided by the General Medical Council in the UK. Objective To explore the managerial learning activities of senior paediatric specialist registrars (SpRs). Design, setting, participants Questionnaire study; West Midlands region, UK; senior paediatric SpRs in the last 2 years of training. Methods A 17 item questionnaire was sent by post to all 45 paediatric SpRs in the last 2 years of training. A follow-up email was sent to non-responders. Results 87% (39/45) SpRs completed a questionnaire. All had participated in clinical managerial activities with 44% (17/39) doing >= 4 h per week. Popular activities were teaching and development of treatment guidelines. Non-clinical managerial experience, mainly rota management and teaching programme organisation, was limited with 64% (25/39) doing <= 30 min per week. 10% (4/39) SpRs had no experience. SpRs rated clinical and non-clinical management training as important, but only a third felt confident in managing projects or leading change. Factors which inhibited management learning were shift patterns and being too busy. Conclusions It is essential that trainees put managerial competencies in their personal development plans and have support from their supervisors to put this plan into action, including allocated time for management training and learning. At a trainee's annual review of progress, management competencies need to be considered as well as clinical work as these are needed for a smooth transition to a consultant post.