What makes a good physician? In this Spotlight on local innovation blog, resident doctors Dr Stephanie Harding, Dr Rachael D’Silva, Dr Faiz Shaikh, Dr Katharine Cass and Dr Akshay Balaji at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire explain that it is not just individual clinical competence, but being supported by systems that foster preparedness, confidence, safety and continuous development.
This work was presented to the RCP president and other senior officers during the RCP college visit to University Hospital Coventry in February 2026.
What we learned
- Training quality improves when learning time is genuinely protected and backed by clear, consistent teaching structures
- Practical barriers to training (such as access to clinics, procedures and rotation specific information) can be reduced through simple, trust wide tools developed with resident doctors
- Peer to peer resources and informal mentorship provide reassurance, reduce isolation and support better career decision making
- Small, locally led changes to rotas, work schedules and supervision can have a meaningful impact on preparedness, confidence and patient safety.
As IMT doctors, having spent some time reflecting on what makes a good physician, we believe good training rests on three core pillars:
- Prepared and competent – feeling confident in procedures, clear about our clinical responsibilities, and able to access the right learning opportunities
- Supported and guided – with mentorship, clear escalation pathways, psychological safety and protection from professional isolation
- Safe and system aware – understanding quality improvement, patient safety and how healthcare systems function, alongside teaching time that is genuinely protected and valued.
These principles have shaped a series of local educational initiatives designed to address everyday challenges within IMT training in Coventry.
Protected teaching time matters to us. In response to concerns that learning time was being eroded, teaching moved from half day weekly sessions to full day teaching every two weeks. This change has helped ensure that teaching time is genuinely safeguarded and better used. It is supported by structured IMT teaching and an organised PACES programme, including weekly peer to peer sessions with consultant supervision.
Many of us struggle to access outpatient clinics (particularly since the pandemic) or obtain in person procedural skills, and variable rota allocation to the acute medical take is very frustrating. Lots of us feel unprepared for upcoming rotations. To help address access to clinics, the trust now holds a database of nearly 300 weekly clinics across all medical specialties, including key contacts, scheduling information and guidance linked to curriculum procedures. Having a single, central resource allows us to make better use of available time and seek out learning opportunities more proactively.
Moving between specialties can be stressful, particularly when practical information is hard to find. To support this, we developed a specialty specific resource bank, created by residents for residents. Drawing on surveys and lived experience, it captures practical advice, key contacts and insights to reduce uncertainty and help us focus more clearly on learning and professional development.
Alongside this, the introduction of standardised generic work schedules has helped reduce variation between departments and avoid inconsistencies. This has supported our ARCP requirements by improving clarity around expectations and opportunities.
Access to informal, specialty specific guidance is particularly valuable. A mentoring scheme linking IMTs with specialty registrars (matched by intended specialty interest) has been especially effective. It has helped many of us feel more confident about career decisions, better understand application processes and feel less isolated when planning next steps.
An IMT3 ‘step up’ programme has supported IMT2 doctors by offering supervised registrar level experience in a supernumerary setting. Alongside this, an organised PACES teaching programme and structured IMT teaching have further strengthened preparation and confidence.
These local projects show how practical, resident led initiatives can make a real difference to training experience. By focusing on preparedness, support and system awareness, we can create environments that support both learning and patient safety.
For us, being a good physician is not only about individual competence, but about working within systems that allow us to grow, feel supported and deliver high quality care throughout our careers.
