Pictured above (L to R) Dr Rob Olver, Dr Paddy Ross, Dr Patricia Hurune, Dr Kerrianne Huynh, Dr Jonathon Devine
On 21 May 2024, Monash Medical Centre Intensive Care Unit (ICU) hosted the Monash ICU Registrar Career Skills Day, timed to run just as the anxious season of medical recruitment was about to begin.
The day had plenty of tips, tricks and pearls of wisdom for the career-focused ICU trainee: panels of ICU consultants responsible for recruitment, from intensive care units up and down the Australian east coast as well as a special presentation from Dr Claire Cattigan, the director of the University Hospital Geelong.
Our panel on ‘CVs: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ comprised of Dr David Rigg from Royal Hobart Hospital, Dr Judith Askew from Royal Prince Alfred, Dr Jess Dean from Monash Medical Centre, Dr David Ku from Dandenong Hospital and was chaired by Dr Rob Olver. The session included sample CVs for trainees to examine and insights from the panel on what they look for in job applications.
Dr Claire Cattigan provided insight into what she looks for when she hires a new ICU consultant, a rare perspective that trainees seldom get to hear.
The culmination of the day was the simulated interview session ‘How to Ace the Job Interview’, developed in collaboration with Monash Simulation. The brief was to provide, through simulation, a launch pad for a discussion regarding some of the important aspects of being the best possible candidate during the rigors of a job interview.
In collaboration with the Monash ICU Simulation Program and Dr Kerrianne Huynh, simulation intensivist, Monash Simulation developed a ‘simulated participant’ model of delivering an interview, which led to a vigorous panel and wider discussion amongst the Career Skills Day attendees.
Dr Jonathan Devine from Monash Simulation and Monash Health ICU was the simulated interviewee, and gave a stellar performance of some of the common problems that an interview candidate may face during the interview.
The interview panel consisted of Dr Patricia Hurune from St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Dr Li Tan from the Alfred, Dr Paddy Ross from Western Health, Dr Rob Olver from the Victorian Heart Hospital and was chaired by Dr Kerrianne Huynh.
The diverse group of panellists were superb, demonstrating both professionalism and compassion in regard to a process that many trainees find so stressful. It was an excellent event and resource for current and future trainees, and a demonstration of the goodwill that exists in the ICU community.
Please reach out to Monash Simulation at monashsimulation@monashhealth.org to foster partnerships for integrated simulation opportunities or navigate to https://monashhealth.org/services/simulation/ to view courses and additional simulation services we offer.
By Dr Kerrianne Huynh, Simulation Intensivist