Medic One Funded Projects

RCEM Annual Scientific Conference
Anna Bryans

I am very grateful to Medic One who funded my attendance at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Annual Scientific Conference to deliver a presentation on behalf of a group project: “What do Young People want from the Emergency Department?”

During the second year of medical school, students are able to perform group research over a 10 week period in a chosen area of interest. Guided by our Supervisor and Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Dr Jen Browning, we were especially focused on identifying the concerns and requirements of adolescents in the Emergency Department (ED). We designed questionnaires and conducted interviews for children aged between 12 and 16 at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC), Edinburgh.

The study was prompted by the relocation of the RHSC in 2017, at which time this new paediatric ED will admit children aged under 16 in contrast to its current under 13 limit. Individual factors were rated my participants according to importance on a scale of 0-5. Being seen quickly, cleanliness and clear explanations from staff were considered most important. Interestingly, as age increased, the number of children preferring an adult ED increased which reflected the wishes of older children to be more involved in healthcare decisions.

We were delighted to be offered a presentation at the RCEM conference to present our findings. I particularly enjoyed presenting in front of an experienced audience and acknowledging the ways in which we can improve healthcare for young people. The conference was also a fantastic opportunity to attend a variety of seminars which addressed topical issues in Emergency Medicine and to talk to members of the EMERGE research group. In addition, I was able to learn more about a career in Emergency Medicine and we are eagerly continuing our group research. This was all possible due to Medic One’s generous support. Thank you!