Ortho Update 2024

Ronnie Davies

After a successful return to a face-to-face format last year, the Update course returned to Manchester on a bright and sunny Saturday. This year, we focused on exams and examination. We had some wonderful clinical examination sessions focusing on foot & ankle, spine and hands. A fantastic group of medical students added to the realism as simulated patients and boy, what a performance they put on! Candidates had several chances to complete CEXs throughout the day for their clinical examinations.

As usual, we ran some case discussions covering important topics for the FRCS, enabling completion of CBDs. The discussions covered paediatric hip pain, the ‘foot attack’, and a return of last year’s favourite session, ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’, in which faculty aired their dirty laundry to discuss principles of fracture fixation.

We had a fantastic session run by senior examiners to demystify the FRCS Orth. The talks covered all parts of the exam, and we even had some guest appearances from recent exam candidates to give their top tips for passing. There was plenty of time for a lively Q&A session so, for once, examiners had to answer some difficult questions, but they all answered admirably!

A highlight of the course was the thought-provoking plenary lecture by David Sellu, who spoke of his experience of a full GMC investigation, imprisonment and eventual acquittal following appeal. He spoke without a hint of bitterness about the protracted process and gave some helpful advice to people facing a GMC investigation. It was certainly the talking point at most tables over lunch.

We are already planning next year’s course, which is provisionally set to cover non-technical skills through a series of simulations, along with an FRCS workshop and some case discussions around critical conditions. Of course, there will be a few surprises to make it another excellent day of orthopaedic education.