How to be an effective regional adviser

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Regional Adviser role has expanded and become more complex over the last few years. It involves the dissemination, monitoring and maintenance of College standards throughout the region, as well as feedback to College with examples of good practice or issues of concern. Areas of responsibility include postgraduate medical education, with particular reference to specialist registrar recruitment, training, mentoring and assessment, and formal visits to training departments; continuing medical education, through approval of educational programmes and events; standards of medical practice through approval of consultant job descriptions and indirectly also through the educational visits. To be effective, regional advisers must have a commitment to medical education, good leadership skills, excellent time management skills and a well-developed sense of fairness and objectivity. Tact, diplomacy, tenacity and a sense of humour are essential. For paediatricians with these attributes, the role represents a stimulating, challenging and enormously rewarding addition to the other responsibilities of a consultant post.