Fellowships
There are many opportunities for fellowships within the Severn ICM programme, including 3-6 month placements and shorter 1-2 week micro-fellowships.
Clinical Toxicology Micro-fellowship
Dr Martin Winstanley, ICM ST5
I was lucky enough to spend a week with the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh (RIE) as part of a ‘micro-fellowship’. This site hosts an inpatient toxicology service as well as NPIS/Toxbase office fielding referrals from across the UK. The day was spent shadowing the consultant clinical toxicologist. Mornings would be a ward round reviewing patients admitted under the toxicology team on the acute medical unit, followed by an ‘in-reach’ round to review poisoning cases in the ED and ICU. Afternoons involved ED and Toxbase referrals. I saw cases including paracetamol, venlafaxine, amitriptyline, and insulin overdoses as well as novel-psychoactive substance use. The toxicology service at RIE are used to having visiting doctors and it was easy to organise the week via email. The team are enthusiastic and there was lots of discussion regarding investigation and management of the critically unwell toxicology patient. Dr Adrian Clarke (ICM TPD) was particularly supportive of the micro-fellowship and I was able to take 5 days of study leave to facilitate this. I would thoroughly recommend this opportunity to any trainee.
