Before starting PICH, as a First Five GP (2 years post CCT) my interest was in exploring a portfolio career where I could work in General Practice, but also return to Acute Paediatrics for 1-2 days a week. While I was having the opportunity to see lots of children as a GP, I missed the energy that came when working alongside paediatricians and paediatric nurses in settings such as Paediatric ED, where there was always so much to learn and team camaraderie! And where the work felt especially meaningful & impactful for patients!
However, when the COVID 19 Pandemic hit, I had to rethink this aspiration and explore new ways of focusing on child health and multi-disciplinary team working, in a more remote way. A way that was more pre-emptive and at a birds eye view. Luckily, I came across the PICH programme and submitted my application. I then started my Journey with the Cohort of 2020/2021.. A Journey that proved incredibly enriching both professionally & personally!
Over the course of the year, I got to pursue a number of projects, in a variety of settings (both in the clinical context, and further a field in community-based classrooms). I was able to collaborate and learn from a range of different professionals (from paediatricians and nurses, to teachers, social workers, and pastoral youth workers), and gained a greater understanding of the challenges (& gaps) faced by families when navigating health systems. And by the end of my PICH journey, I had come to appreciate the importance of Making the Connections and proactively connecting up care for children and young people.
