Professor Pat Alley awarded 2013 CPMEC Educator Award

Media statement
For immediate release 18 November 2013

Professor Pat Alley awarded 2013 CPMEC Clinical Educator of the Year Award

Well known Auckland surgeon, Professor Pat Alley became the first New Zealander to be awarded the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils (CPMEC) Clinical Educator of the Year Award in mid November.

Dr John Adams, chairperson of the Medical Council of New Zealand says the award is recognition of the contribution Professor Alley has made to medical education and the well being of the profession over four decades.

‘Pat’s contribution to and mana within the profession is well known, as is his pastoral care of resident medical officers as an intern supervisor and Director of Clinical Training at Waitemata District Health Board.

‘Heading a team of four intern supervisors, he brings considerable educational expertise and wisdom to the role of supporting Resident Medical Officers and the consultant teachers,’ said Dr Adams.

This year at North Shore Hospital, Professor Alley has played a key role in the development of an integrated formal teaching programme with three core strands. These are Clinical Skills, Quality and Patient Safety, Inter Professional learning and Collaborative Practice. This programme has been designed based on work place learning theory and uses the natural curriculum of the workplace mapped to the Medical Council of New Zealand curriculum.

‘The new teaching programme recognises the transition of the new doctor from novice to competent practitioner and is designed into stages spanning the first postgraduate year into Orientation, Survival, Consolidation and Finishing school,’ said Dr Adams.

Professor Alley is currently involved in the development of a pilot programme for surgical trainees undertaking vocational training within the New Elective Surgery Centre at Waitemata DHB. This will be the first dedicated teaching programme in elective surgery in New Zealand.

Dr Adams says Professor Alley also has a long track record of promoting the well-being and welfare of both resident medical officers and other doctors.

‘In 1982 he joined the Doctors Health Advisory Service (DHAS) as a volunteer and remains in that role today.

‘Through, his work with the DHAS Pat has developed a deep and expansive understanding of the complexity of illness in health professionals recognising the very subtle signs of impeding ill health in students and junior doctors. He has also contributed more broadly to conferences and DHB programmes to promote the well-being of resident medical officers.’

The Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils (CPMEC) is an association of Postgraduate Medical Councils (PMCs) of each State or Territory in Australia and the equivalent agency in New Zealand.

More information on CPMEC can be found on their website.

ENDS

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