Peninsula Postgraduate School of O&G Statement on Out Of Programme (OOP) placements
The Peninsula Postgraduate School of O&G, along with our sister School in Severn, has a strong history of supporting our Doctors in training in taking an Out Of Programme (OOP) placement in their training. We firmly believe that it can be an enriching and beneficial experience for the Doctor in training, especially in a 7-year run-through training programme.
Out of Programme placements take various forms; Research (OOPR), Additional Training (OOPT), Additional Experience (OOPE) and Career break (OOPC). Doctors in training keep their training number when out of programme and their break creates a ‘gap’ in the O&G programme.
As much as possible ‘gaps’ are spread fairly around the region and identifying gaps in advance can be difficult, especially when the ‘rotation’ is agreed well in advance. For this reason, OOP applications must be made well in advance, with 6 months’ notice given to the School so that applications can be discussed at the meetings held in March and September each year.
Discuss your ideas and plans for OOP placements with your Educational supervisor, TPD or Head of School early on in the process. OOP placements should add significant value to the Doctor in training personally and to their professional career, it can be time used to enhance one’s CV or develop a more specialised expertise.
The Deanery will presently support high quality OOP requests up to a limit of 25% OOP at any one time, this limit will depend on the number of trainees available for active training ST3-7, in that particular year. With this limit in mind, OOP requests are assessed in terms of priority. The prioritisation is:
- OOPC For significant personal issues with full support from the Trainee Support Unit
- OOPT Training (where specific training is not available within the Peninsula Deanery)
- OOPT Training (sub-specialty training programme/ ATSM Advanced lap)
- OOPR Research (grant funded and for higher degree)
- OOPR Research (higher degree)
- OOPE Experience (qualification relevant to a career in O&G)
- OOPE Research (research experience only, no higher degree)
- OOPE Experience (experience to enhance a career in O&G, not offered within the Peninsula O&G training programme)
- OOPC Career Break (worthwhile life experience to pursue other interests, beneficial to character development)
- OOPC Other reasons different from above.
Priority will be given to applications higher up the ranking (1 being highest and 10 lowest) and therefore Doctors in training are encouraged to plan their OOP proposal with this in mind.
For OOP commencing between October and February each year, applications need to be submitted by 1st March that year, and applications for OOP commencing between February to August, by 1st September.
Special consideration will be given for OOPC in conjunction with the Professional Support and Wellbeing Unit at any time.
Mr B Peyton-Jones Head of Peninsula School of O&G
01.10.2019