New trainees
​Updated: 8 July 2026
Firstly, congratulations and welcome you so deserve to be here. It can be super overwhelming, but you have time and hopefully these tips will make it feel slightly less overwhelming and easier to settle in.
Before you start
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Check how car parking works in your new hospital or your travel arrangements to get to work
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Double check what shift you are working, as the timings might be slightly different
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Have a look at the hospital maps to try and find where you need to go particularly in bigger hospitals.
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Read any induction information that has been sent through for each hospital
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Apply for your RCPCH membership as this will be how you access to your portfolio
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Check training dates on this website and compare this with your rota
IT bits and bobs
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Kaizen portfolio - make sure this is updated to be a trainee portfolio otherwise you won’t be able to add longitudinal supervisors.
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nhs.net email address check you can log in and your placement have this
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Local systems - you are likely to receive an email/information on Day 1 from your trust with access to all local systems including exception reporting
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Accent - study leave applications access
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Check all your access within your first couple of days
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If there are issues, then please highlight this ASAP as delaying this can just make it worse
Day 1-2
The People
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Identify both your educational and clinical supervisor and make contact with them
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Senior trainees on your rota who can help
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Rota co-ordinators, how to contact them especially if in an emergency
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Ward staff
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There are local trainee whatsapp groups so make sure you are on these, senior trainees in your hospital can make sure you are linked in
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The department
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Where and how handovers happen
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How to patients move through the department
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Escalation pathways and who to contact
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How to access guidelines
End of the first week
Training and Curriculum
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Read through each area so you have an awareness of what experiences will fit into each area contemporaneously
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ARCP expectations, this will come round quicker than you think, you have 10 months, not a whole year!
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Start thinking about exams and how these will fit into your life outside of work
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You're not meant to have done all of your curriculum by the end of ST1, but slowly and consistently adding and tagging things will make it easier in the long run
Supervision
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Make sure your dates are in for initial meetings
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Things to think about before you meet:
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PDP goals and aims for the placement
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Any support needs you have or anticipate
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Ask your supervisor about learning opportunities and how these are supported
Teaching and SDT
SDT: You should have 8hrs/month that is protected for your learning, work out how this fits into your rota. If it is not there, please highlight this and escalate. And if during rotation this is not protected raise at RDFs and keep a log.
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Regional teaching days: Work out what you can make with your rota, if you can’t make them, please highlight to your supervisors and rota co-ordinators. Attending these teaching days is important and you should be facilitated to go as much as possible.
Attending the first ST1 regional training day is really helpful as you will be able to meet your peers and the important RCPCH team in the East Midlands
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Important Courses: APLS, NLS, Child protection and Safeguarding Level 3 courses. You can get study budget but need to apply for the expenses pre-emptively so make sure your access to Accent works. However, some of these book up very early, so make sure you identify dates, apply and get your space secured.
Explore Training Programme
Understand how your training is structured by taking a look at the rotations and placements we have to offer.
View Teaching and Events
Stay up to date with teaching sessions and key dates. Essential for planning your training and preparing for assessments.
View ARCP
ARCPs are part and parcel of your training and development. Take a look and see what the process if all about.
