A Week in the Life of a DCT: Paediatrics at Cardiff with Malaaika Al-Koky
I am Malaaika, a Bristol graduate, currently undertaking a split DCT1 post in Paediatric and Restorative Dentistry. My first rotation has been Paediatrics. Why did I choose DCT1? I don’t know about you, but during DFT I was just craving to ask for a specialist opinion on so many patient cases. I have definitely found DCT an opportunity to help clear a lot of my uncertainties. I now feel a lot more confident in my decision making as a dentist.
My passion for Paediatric dentistry continues to grow and I am excited to see what life has in store for me. This is a DCT1 post I would totally recommend as it provides you with options open to specialise in any discipline at this stage.
Monday
AM: I am on casuals’ clinic where I see emergency Paediatric patients. I am also responsible for two undergraduate dental students to make sure they maximise their clinical opportunities. At the same time, I triage patients and prioritise them to attend clinic on the same day, the following day or not attend at all. Sometimes, I ask patients to email in photos to supplement their problem/explanation. Balancing all these job roles can be quite overwhelming at times, but it teaches you how to prioritise patients. Also, through adapting and working with the registrars, nurses and students carefully, we always manage.
The patients are either trauma, facial swellings, ongoing pain for 48 hours or more not responsive to maximum pain relief, or medically compromised individuals, such as oncology patients that require dental screening prior to commencing treatment.
PM: I am on call until 5pm, where I support the paediatric department, emergency department, triage or colleagues in Oral Surgery.
Tuesday
AM: I am on casuals in the morning again with the same responsibilities. Working with dental students is rewarding and as it wasn’t that long ago since I was one, I can relate to their worries and concerns and support them accordingly.
PM: Consultant clinic takes place. This is where I work closely alongside a consultant. It is these clinics where referrals from general dentists are managed/filtered. The Patients that attend have ectopic teeth, supernumeraries, history of trauma, are medically compromised or urgent referrals; and those that require a multidisciplinary team in attendance. Should consultant clinic not be taking place, then I have my own outpatient clinic.
I also attend general anaesthetic sessions, which are limited in COVID but a great opportunity to observe and chair cases.
Wednesday
AM: Consultant clinic with a different assigned consultant. These are honestly my favourite sessions. Learning from the consultants in all aspects of Paediatric dentistry is inspiring.
PM: Outpatient clinic. This is where I see my own patients. Here I carry out treatments as part of the staff list. I place separators, hall crowns, restorations, perform extractions and inhalation sedation.
Thursday
AM and PM: We have 30 organised study days throughout the year; (just like how foundation training runs these sessions). They incorporate all specialties. On the days I don’t have study, I see my own outpatients instead.
Friday
AM: Consultant clinic/outpatient clinic. This is usually the day I am with my educational supervisor. It is a time for her to reflect on my personal and professional development on clinic and help me improve with further top tips.
PM: Outpatient clinic
In the gaps between patients, I try to maximise opportunities to work on audits, publications, presentations, improving departmental policies and general patient admin. Recently I introduced a new policy to the department, and it is extremely satisfying to see it enforced and working in practice.
Saturday and Sunday
Time off to relax ☺
SUBMISSION FOR ENTRIES THIS YEAR ARE CLOSED!
5 comments
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ReplyDeleteThank you Malaaika for your post.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to start SCD, restorative and paediatrics in September, do you have any suggestion on what to prepare or revise?
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