Trainee Positions At Auckland Hospital

Auckland Hospital
Private Bag 92-024
Auckland
New Zealand
NZ, 1142
New Zealand

Contact Details

Dr Nicholas Child
NChild@adhb.govt.nz
Phone : +64 9 307-4949 extn 25810
www :

Positions

Training Positions : 5
Elective Training Positions :
Fellowships : 1 Clinical or Research Stroke Fellowship, 1 Clinical and Research Epilepsy Fellowship

Core Position Descriptions
Four advanced trainees in neurology will take part with 2 rotating medical registrars (generally advanced trainees in other specialties gaining neurology experience) in a rotation over a year which includes:
- 8 weeks of managing the 10 bed inpatient neurology unit including acute neurological referrals (ward consults and emergency presentations)
- 8 weeks of acute inpatient stroke (12 bed stroke unit and assessing acute referrals including a regional clot retrieval service)
- 16 weeks of closely supervised outpatients in which each patient is reviewed by a consultant
- 8 weeks of full-time neurophysiology which together with weekly clinics is sufficient to gain the level one ANZAN qualification.
- 8 weeks of elective clinics including access to neuroradiology, pediatrics, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, as well as neurological sub specialties including DBS, Epilepsy Surgery, Muscle biopsy, Botox, MS, neurogenetics, neuro-ophthalmology

After hours, trainees take part in a 1:6 on call roster (5 - 10 p.m.) and would be required to cover 2 weeks of medical subspecialty nights in the course of one year.

Rostered time is also allocated for a supervised research project. In addition there is opportunity to participate in active research programs in Stroke, Epilepsy, Movement Disorders, Neurophysiology, Multiple Sclerosis and Neurogenetics.

Elective Position Descriptions

Hospital Information

Auckland City Hospital is New Zealands largest public hospital situated near the centre of Auckland City. The acute hospital serves a local population of ~450 000 but the Neurology Department serves a much wider area covering the whole of the greater Auckland area as well as the area of New Zealand north of Auckland and provides tertiary services to a population of approximately 1.5 million people as well as a specialist epilepsy surgery service to the remainder of New Zealand. Recently the department has taken on a multiregion clot retrieval service with a potential catchment population of 2.7 million.

The Hospital has close links with the University of Auckland which has a world class neuroscience research program in stroke, neurodegeneration and stem cell science.

Department Beds :
12 Inpatient neurology beds including 2 EEG video-telemetry bed and a 15 bed stroke unit

Department Clinics
General neurology clinics. These are seen as a teaching opportunity for advanced trainees who present each patient to the attending Consultant. Advanced trainee would also attend EMG/NCS clinics and read EEGs

Department Specialty Clinics
Neurogenetics, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Neuro�phthalmology, Botox

Department Meetings
Weekly registrar seminars. (1 hour)
Weekly neurophysiology tutorials (1 hour)
Weekly department review morning: (4 hours)
- neuroradiology meeting
- journal club
- clinical presentation/patient reviews
- neuroscience update
Weekly Medical Grandrounds

Weekly Epilepsy Surgery meeting
Fortnightly Neurogenetics meeting

Department Staff
Dr Dean Kilfoyle (Clinical Director) - Peripheral Nerve and Stroke
Dr Nicholas Child - Epilepsy, Stroke and Consultant in Charge of Training

Dr Neil Anderson - Paraneoplastic disorders, neoplasia and CNS infection
Prof. Alan Barber - Stroke
Dr Peter Bergin - Epilepsy
Dr Alison Charleston - Motor Neurone Disease
Dr Richard Frith - Neurophysiology
Dr Ros Hill - Headache
Dr David Hutchinson - Muscle Disease
Dr David McAuley - Neuro-ophthalmology, Movement Disorders, DBS
Dr Richard Roxburgh - Neurogenetics
Dr Jennifer Somerfield - Neuroimmunology
Dr Barry Snow - Movement disorders
Dr Elizabeth Walker - Epilepsy
Dr Ernie Willoughby - Multiple Sclerosis
Dr Edward Wong - Stroke
Dr Jennifer Somerfield - Multiple Sclerosis
Dr Mark Simpson - DBS, Movement Disorders
Dr Julian Bauer - Acute neurology
Dr Justin Kao - Neuromuscular and Neurophysiology

Junior Staff Positions In Neurology
4 Advanced Trainees in Neurology 2 Rotating Neurology positions, providing neurology training to (largely) advanced trainees from geriatrics and other medical specialties.

Trainee Responsibilities
The advanced trainee is responsible for the running of the inpatient service including keeping accurate records and furnishing timely discharge summaries; supervises the house physician; and teaches medical students. He or she will assess acute patient referrals and outpatients. All patients will be reviewed by a consultant neurologist as the purpose of this is to provide a learning environment for the registrars.

The advanced trainee is expected to treat patients with respect and appropriate care and be sensitive to social and ethnic issues including the principles of the treaty of Waitangi.

The advanced trainee is expected to read widely, be eager to learn, and to make the most of opportunities that are on offer.

She or he will be expected to her or his turn in presenting at the various in-house teaching sessions; to sit the AAN RITE exam; attend the ANZAN pathology course and the monthly brain school.

The trainee is provided a half day a week to do a research project and will be expected to formulate a plan, and carry it through to publication.

Selection Criteria
We are looking for highly motivated, honest and professional registrars who are eager to learn and put in the work that is required to make the most of the opportunities provided in the Auckland Neurology Department.

Philosophy Of Training
We see these positions as primarily for the training of the registrar. We believe that the neurology service should be largely provided at a consultant level, for this reason most neurology clinical decisions of the trainee will be reviewed by a consultant neurologist.

We aim to provide an excellent learning environment for the registrars to take advantage of. We see this as a partnership and require our registrars to take an active part in their learning.

Neurology Training In State
Trainees will be required to attend the Julius Brendel meeting which is an Auckland Neurology Dept hosted, national academic meeting which most neurologists in New Zealand attend Two international speakers are invited to give a two days of lectures on their subjects. This is preceded by 3 half days of case discussions and presentations.

Trainees will also be expected to present at the Annual scientific meeting of the New Zealand Neurological Association.

Other Information
PROSPECTIVE TRAINEES ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT DR CHILD AND PREFERABLY VISIT THE DEPARTMENT IN PERSON.

NOTE New Zealand Match dates are earlier than those in Australia