An aide mémoire: working on acute medical assessment units

Since acute medicine has been introduced as a distinct discipline, there are concerns regarding the education, training, career pathways, and job plans of doctors who are drawn to this field, as well as the need for an academic base to ensure teaching and research of the highest quality. In most countries including the UK, curriculum will run from Foundation years to acquisition of CCST (certificate of completion of specialist training). For most junior doctors rotating through various medical specialities during their SHO/ Residency years, a work experience on acute admissions units is their only opportunity to learn and practice acute general medicine. Also, these are the best places to learn practical procedural skills: central venous catheter line placement, intercostal drain placement, lumbar punctures, temporary pacings etc. An expertise in these procedures is an essential skill in the armoury of a physician intending to pursue his career in acute medicine. Acute health care is complex to manage; patients now seek assurance that doctors remain safe throughout their practicing lives and rising expectations are a mark of our success. The concept of safety-netting holds its vital importance when it comes to working on acute medical assessment units. It is imperative that one should know and realize his/her limitations and ask for a senior's help when one feels out of breadth. We must not hesitate to contact the consultant or Senior Registrar on call if any doubts regarding the management plan. Also, it is worth contacting specialist centres for advice if you work in a small district general hospital. There has been much activity and growth in acute medicine as a speciality. For acute physicians, the challenge over the last decade has been to develop strategies to cope with the increasing demands of accountability in acute care. While on the other hand, there is a constant need to examine the education and training of healthcare professionals to ensure the delivery of patient-focused quality of care. Acute medicine is an emerging speciality that has now been approved by most postgraduate education and training boards as a distinct branch of medicine concerned with the immediate and early management of acutely ill patients. Acute medical assessment units are an interface between emergency medicine and in-patient care, and are the front door of hospitals. Working on these units is exciting as well as challenging. With my background of working on these units in National Health Service in …