Student and foundation doctor perspectives on promoting entry to ENT specialist training

Abstract

We found that MCPyV sT expressing cells showed higher ALOX15 protein expression compared to non-induced cells, TSPyV sT expressing cells and control cells (Figure 1). The MCPyV-positive cell lines also displayed ALOX15 overexpression. Our finding suggests an important role of MCPyV in ALOX15 expression that Fochtmann-Frana and colleagues identified as a possible predictor of MCC metastasis. Specifically, the sT antigen may play a critical role in ALOX15 expression. Since ALOX15 has been associated with cancer metastasis, our finding may be useful for developing innovative therapeutic interventions for MCC tumours and metastases. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSNone. Student and foundation doctor perspectives on promoting entry to ENT specialist trainingSir, In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of applications per ST3 post for ENT. 1 The majority of medical students and foundation doctors have a limited exposure to ENT during undergraduate medical training. 2 This is a common issue in smaller surgical specialties and is acknowledged as one factor deterring students from surgical careers. 3 A recent study highlighted that undergraduate and/or postgraduate exposure as well as several specialty-specific factors (including work-life balance, inspirational role models, variety of operative procedures, and interest in the clinical field) are important for medical students and foundation doctors when deciding on ENT as their preferred specialty. 4To promote the specialty, a national ENT conference for medical students and foundation year doctors was held in Cambridge on 6October 2018. The conference provided an opportunity to explore the barriers to pursuing higher ENT training, and for students and junior doctors to develop solutions to these problems.A pre-conference questionnaire was completed by 109 individuals who had registered to attend the event (88% student and 12% foundation doctor). Of the respondents, 54 individuals (49.5%) reported being "likely" or "very likely" to pursue ENT as a future career, with the remainder "unsure" or "unlikely." The questionnaire also included a free-text question seeking individuals' actual or perceived barriers to a career in ENT. These were analysed by the authors and condensed to seven common themes.During a dedicated session at the conference, 77 student and foundation doctor attendees ranked these themes using an online live voting app. The top two barriers to pursuing ENT training were (a) a poor understanding of the specialty and (b) inaccessibility of clinical experience beyond very limited exposure at medical school. 206 | CORRESPONDENCE: LETTERSThe attendees then discussed and developed potential solutions to these issues in small groups, before presenting them to the conference group. A second round of live voting ranked these solutions. The top two were (a) greater coordination of student surgical/ENT societies and (b) a regular newsletter to explore and promote all surgical specialties.During further small group discussion, attendees were asked to refine the top tw...