PPW Lee, MYW Kwan, MHK Ho, YL Lau

Abstract

Postgraduate training is a process by which trainees make transition from working under supervision to independent practice. Trainees achieve professional advancement through everyday training at the workplace, learning at organised educational activities and mentoring from supervisors. In this paper, we present our experience in organising a postgraduate study day for the Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases (PIID) subspecialty. Principles of adult learning were applied to enable interactive, group-based collaborative learning through trainee-led case discussions and interactive seminar. The Faculty provided feedback to the trainees by objective scoring of their performance. Evaluation from the trainees on the PIID Study Day was positive and self-perception on knowledge in the diagnosis, pathogenesis, investigations and management on infectious diseases in immunocompromised hosts and primary immunodeficiency syndromes increased after the event. The success of this form of postgraduate training activity depends on learners' motivations, the educators' experience and perspectives, and the learning environment.