Paying it forward

Paying it forward: meet supervisor Mrs Toni Wilson

Tell us a bit about yourself I am a paediatric surgeon at Capital & Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) in Wellington, New Zealand. I got my FRACS in General Surgery in 1991, which was endorsed in Paediatrics in 1994. I did most of my training in Auckland, but when I finished there were no consultant jobs in Australasia. It was difficult for us to move as my husband was a lawyer, so I embroidered and did various locums around the country and had two children. Almost 16 years ago I got a position in Wellington, so the family moved and we have been very happy here ever since. I am now Clinical Leader. When did you become a supervisor? I have been in charge of registrars since I started at CCDHB, although we have only had one trainee for the last five years. Why did you become a supervisor? I wanted to help trainees wherever I possibly could. In my training days, trainee assessments were not usually discussed with the trainee, so it was common to have no idea of how your bosses had assessed you. Fortunately, that has changed now. What do you like about the role? I have always enjoyed ‘growing’ young surgeons, so I have been happy to be the supervisor for training in Wellington. I view the job as a privilege, as I can help the next generation of skilled surgeons achieve their best. As the paediatric training scheme is competency-based it involves a lot of

interaction, which means that you spend a lot of time with your trainee. All my colleagues enjoy teaching and training so that makes my life as a supervisor easier. Where there have been problems, it is a matter of working through them in a constructive manner. Anyone coming to the role of supervisor should fully embrace the position. I find the relationship that I have with the trainee a very satisfying one. What qualities are important for a good supervisor? Honesty and trust are an important foundation for the trainee/supervisor relationship. I have always tried to be as honest as possible while being kind and supportive. And there are times when you have to be prepared to go into battle with your management to advocate on behalf of your trainee. I believe in the concept of ‘paying it forward’, which means recognising the talent and skill of house surgeons and registrars and encouraging them to help them grow. Our training system is complex and often daunting for those unfamiliar with it, so people need help to navigate it in the best way possible. I take any opportunity to help trainees to advance their career. What is your top tip for trainees? I tell the trainees that it is important to find a mentor and that often it is best if that person is another specialty. The choice of a mentor is a very personal one and it is different to the relationship between a supervisor and a trainee. Trainees need both. What support do you think supervisors need? Paediatric Surgery had a trainers’ weekend retreat for the first time last year and it was a valuable opportunity to discuss training with those on the board, to educate trainers and to meet other registrar supervisors. It was deferred this year but hopefully it will continue once the pandemic settles. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Education department has developed specific webpages to make it easy for supervisors to access resources to help them in their role. This is a great initiative and I look forward to seeing additions to the resources as they are developed. I’d encourage other supervisors to look at these webpages. 

LAUNCHING THE SURGICAL SUPERVISOR HUB

In a recent survey RACS supervisors indicated that they wanted better access to resources to help them in their roles. We are now launching a dedicated webpage for all supervisors. The new Supervisor Support Hub provides links to: • relevant policies and procedures, • the supervisor standards and surgical competencies • current journal articles which will be updated quarterly • links to Specialty Training Boards and

Societies • links to relevant Professional

Development courses • the Academy of Surgical Educators • useful contacts across the College. Access the Supervisor Support Hub here. Feedback on the webpages is welcomed, as we want to ensure that it is a useful site for our supervisors. If you would like to provide any feedback, please email Supervisor.Hub@surgeons.org