PeMSAA-UK Career Guidance Project

PeMSAA-UK appointed Dr Chula Goonasekara to lead “PeMSAA-UK Career Guidance Project” on 10th September 2017.

During his recent visit to Sri Lanka Dr Goonasekara met Prof Kumarasiri (PeMSAA President) and Dr Pathirage (PeMSAA Secretary) on 12th October at Peradeniya Medical faculty to discuss how PeMSAA-UKs members could assist in academic activities.

Both of them agreed that an academic contribution especially with face-face contact be most useful. However, Prof Kumarasiri and Dr. Pathirage stated that the faculty would have to be informed and need PeMSAA executive committee’s approval.

Proposal.

Since above discussion, following items were proposed for consideration by the relevant committees (i.e. PeMSAA and PeMSAA-UK).

1. To name the contribution of the PeMSAA-UK as “PeMSAA-UK Career Guidance Project”.
2. One or two members will visit Peradeniya at one time targeting a two-day workshop to be held over a weekend on subject areas of their choice and expertise. This could include any subject matter they wish to present (surgery, medicine, etc. etc., family medicine, higher education, skill training, GP set up, ethics, MBBS curricular changes abroad, shared decision making with patients, evidence based medicine at practice etc. etc. etc.)
3. The program offered will be written by the 1-2 resource persons of the PeMSAA-UK directly involved with their workshop in the format they wish, for example, lectures, interactive sessions, skill training sessions, use of online resources, etc. etc.
4. PeMSAA will negotiate space, location and facilities without hindrance to any of the faculty activities with minimal interference to faculty curricula activities. They will also set the pitch – i.e. whether a session is useful for students 1-3 or 4-5 year standing, junior doctors etc. etc. and advertised via PeMSAA to extend an open invitation to interested students and young doctors.

Funding

PeMSAA will find it difficult to fund air travel and accommodation in Kandy. Kandy has cheap but good guest house accommodation and PeMSAA will help find these and provide local hospitality facilities.

Dr CG suggested that a proposal will be made for PeMSAA-UK to establish a fund to support this Career Guidance Project and utilise it for members in need to make above come true. It is likely that PeMSAA-UK members may consider self-funding some of their costs.

These meetings will take place regularly once a month in the faculty premises. Thus, the program will need to be drawn up well in advance to ensure that it takes place smoothly. The program will appear in their relevant websites

PeMSAA-UK Mentoring Scheme

PeMSAA-UK appointed Dr Uditha Jayatunga to lead “PeMSAA-UK Mentoring Scheme” on 10th September 2017.

We the PeMSAA-UK are keen to provide initial support by the way of advice and mentoring for any PeMSAA member who come to UK to work. It could be for PGIM members or doctors who come to work via PLAB route.

The Proposal:

1. The support PeMSAA-UK could provide are;
   1. Initial advice and guidance on career development
   2. Improving the network with likeminded personal
   3. Offering pastoral role
   4. Mentoring during their stay in UK
   5. Enrolling them as associate members of PeMSAA-UK
2. PeMSAA-UK’s input will ONLY be on the recommendation of parent PeMSAA
3. We feel that the recommendation by the parent PeMSAA will encourage younger PeMSAA members to seek formal membership in Sri Lanka as well us will help PeMSAA-UK to identify them early for our future activities.
4. For this mentoring scheme to be successful, parent PeMSAA will have to publicise the scheme on their web site as well as in their programme.
5. Allocation of PeMSAA-UK Mentor will depend on the area of interest and the preferred location of the new Postgraduate doctor.
6. Initial contacts will be via the generic PeMSAA-UK e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
7. Depending on the demand, we will endeavor to have a list of PeMSAA-UK Mentors covering whole of UK and their area of expertise.