Cardiology elective, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital | General Practice, Ormskirk Medical Practice, UK

My elective over January 2019 consisted of two placements, 3 weeks at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LCHC) and 1 week at Ormskirk Medical Practice.

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LCHC)

LHCH is a tertiary referral hospital in cardiology, cardiac surgery and respiratory services for the north-west of England. It services a population of approximately 2.5 million people.

My supervisor, Dr Suneil Aggarwal, is an interventional cardiologist, with a special interest in adult congenital heart disease interventions.

During my time at LHCH I was exposed to the Cath Labs, including primary PCI interventions, ACS interventions, adult congenital heart disease diagnostics and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantations (TAVIs).

I also spent time in electrophysiology labs and clinics, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac diagnostic clinics and cardiology ward rounds.

This placement provided an excellent insight into the operations of a large tertiary referral centre, and the different cardiology sub-specialties.

I gained valuable knowledge of the management of common cardiac presentations and identifying them on different imaging modalities.

I feel this was a well-rounded placement in cardiology and would highly recommend this hospital to anyone with an interest in this area.

Ormskirk Medical Practice

I also spent a week at Ormskirk Medical Practice, a NHS General Practice approximately 15 miles outside of Liverpool.

This involved sitting in with a number of different GPs, and a nurse practitioner.

This placement offered an excellent insight into the difference in primary care between Australia and the UK.

I also attended home visits with the GPs, another contrast with primary care in Canberra. This was also a highly enjoyable placement and a valuable education in a different primary care structure.

Overall the UK was an excellent choice in destination for an elective placement, and I found both my hospital and primary care placemen to be extremely welcoming and helpful. All the clinicians I encountered were very willing to share their knowledge with me and make me feel included in the clinical environment. This was a great personal and learning experience which I was grateful to have to opportunity to undertake.