RANZCR: Trainees Rise to the Challenge

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Inside News June 2020

The New Zealand Interisland Coronoschool

2020 has been an unprecedented and challenging year so far with catastrophic Australian bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. The difficult decision to cancel Series 1 examinations has been devastating to many of us, especially the exam candidates who were ripe and at their peak. However, that devastation did not last long as we rise to stand shoulder to shoulder with our frontline colleagues in the war against COVID-19.

Online with radiology and childcare: the new normal

It is overwhelming to many and there has been discussion that trainee teaching may be taking a backseat for a while. With anxiety and uncertainty surrounding this pandemic, which is accompanied by many deaths across the globe, it is easy to overlook the little positive things that came out of COVID-19. As the quote goes, the phoenix rises from the ashes, the New Zealand Interisland Coronoschool was born on the eve of New Zealand Alert Level 4 lockdown through collaboration between Dunedin and Wellington trainees.

It is an initiative to bring trainees and consultants together through the implementation of virtual teaching sessions across both islands as well as across the public and private sectors in Dunedin and lower North Island cities of Wellington and Palmerston North. These sessions have run over five weeks, the total number of weeks when the whole of New Zealand was in Alert Level 4 lockdown. The result has been amazing and beyond our expectation. We are overwhelmed by the response from multiple consultants who donated their time and effort to make the virtual teaching sessions successful and enjoyable.

We applaud the trainees for not giving up under the pressure of COVID-19 and the consultants for their never-ending commitment to our training.

The New Zealand Interisland Coronoschool links the two islands of NZ

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the consultants who have supported this initiative to provide the education:

Prof Terry Doyle, Dunedin

Dr Amy Fong, Dunedin

Dr Michael Reddy, Dunedin

Dr Sue Craw, Dunedin

Dr Jacquie Copland, Dunedin

Dr Sally Charters, Pacific Radiology, Dunedin

Dr Greg Harkness, DunedinDr Ben Wilson, Dunedin

Dr Rodney Wu, Pacific Radiology, Wellington

Dr Mulvey Kelly, Pacific Radiology, Wellington

Dr Jonathan Graham, Graham Radiology Ltd, Palmerston North

Mrs Katherine Graham, Graham Radiology Ltd, Palmerston North

Dr Pierre Struwig, Wellington

Dr Hannah Kim, Wellington

Dr David Healey, Wellington

Dr Matthew MacKay, Wellington

Dr Sook Yee Yong, Hutt

Many more consultants have expressed their interest in contributing to the ongoing NZ Interisland Coronoschool sessions.

This is the new normal where supporting peers and providing teaching goes beyond geographical constraints.

We do believe that the COVID-19 pandemic brings out the best in humanity.

Kia kaha and stay safe.

Missa Amin and Malcolm Gill

Wellington and Dunedin

4th Year Trainees Interisland Coronoschool Coordinators

Please feel free to email missa.amin@gmail.com or malcolmmrgill@gmail.com with your thoughts, questions or feedback.