Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) is unique in requiring a dual qualification in medicine and dentistry and is recognised within Europe as defined under the medical directives.

The scope of the specialty is extensive and includes the diagnosis and management of facial injuries, head and neck cancers, salivary gland diseases, facial disproportion, facial pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, impacted teeth, cysts and tumours of the jaws as well as numerous problems affecting the oral mucosa such as mouth ulcers and infections.

All aspects of OMFS are practised in the region, including subspecialisation of cleft surgery, to which OMFS trainees also have exposure. There is a cleft fellow (Yorkshire & Northern Regions). Leeds and Hull have Neurosurgery units and undertake craniofacial trauma as well as elective combined craniofacial work. There is a significant workload and training opportunities in head and neck cancer with reconstruction as well as deformity work in all the units.

OMFS in Yorkshire and the Humber

Clinical training is provided by consultants from OMFS Departments in the following Trusts:

• The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (Mr L Carter, Mr G Fabbroni, Mr C Mannion, Mr TK Ong, Mr JL Russell, Mr AG Smyth)

• Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Mr K Abdel-Ghalil, Mr T Boye, Mr P Chambers, Mr J McCaul, Mr KK Patel, Mr DN Sutton, Mr SF Worrall)

• Mid-Yorkshire NHS Trust (Mr K Mizen, Mr G Fabbroni)

• York Hospitals NHS Trust (Mr J Taylor, Mr MR Telfer, Mr PH Whitfield, Mr D Holt)

• Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust (Mr MR Cope, Mr S Crank, Mr G Gregory, Mr DG Starr)

Training will follow the stages of the curriculum with some regional variation depending on the sub specialty interests of the trainers to which you will be attached. There is an emphasis on regular use of assessments tools especially early on in the programme. Training will be supported by the use of the training and assessment framework.

Upon successful completion of the Intercollegiate Exit Fellowship, trainees may apply for additional sub specialty training in the interface programmes of Cleft Lip and Palate, Head and Neck Oncology, and Cosmetic Surgery. Additional fellowships presently out with the interface programme are available in Craniofacial Surgery. 

With the decoupling of Core Training from Speciality Training, we do not currently offer a core training programme in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. However, all the OMFS units in the Yorkshire Rotation region encourage trainees at this stage to maintain contact and OMFS trainers are closely involved with teaching in the School of Surgery. There are also assigned educational supervisors in each unit who are readily available for support and advice during the core training years.

The rotation includes the following locations: 

• Bradford Royal Infirmary, St Luke’s Hospital
• Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds Dental Institute & St James University Hospital
• Pinderfields General Hospital
• York Hospital
• Hull Royal infirmary

Trainees rotate (6-12 monthly) through two parallel 5 year cycles, with two years in Leeds and Mid-Yorkshire (shared on call cover), Bradford, Hull and York.

Teaching and Learning

There is a rolling SpR/StR teaching programme overseen by the Training Programme Director and main consultant Educational Facilitator (Mr Stephen Crank, Hull). There is input from other consultants into teaching modules relevant to their areas of interest.

The format is six all day modules per annum. The teaching is consultant led. Trainees are allocated teaching topics to prepare beforehand and assigned which teaching medium to use. Feedback is provided by the group on the day and using evaluation sheets. The trainees are encouraged to feedback using the “Training the Trainers” format. Trainees are therefore taught in selected specialist topics as well as how to teach. Every trainee will have a portfolio of objective feedback scores on their teaching skills. 

There is a two year cycle covering 12 areas of the exit examination syllabus and OMFS curriculum. The feedback to date had been excellent. Consultant trainers are encouraged to attend whenever possible. In addition to provided valuable clinical experience input, they will gain external CPD points.

There are also some ad hoc combined specialities programmes such as Training the Trainers and joint orthognathic planning clinical teaching days. There is a reference library of teaching material collected from all previous teaching modules (since Jan 2005) in each of the departments. 
In addition to local educational mentors, other regional events include:

• Regional Clinical Effectiveness Programme (March, June & September)
• Regional Clinico-Pathological Conferences (June & September)

There is a minimum requirement of audit projects to achieve for all trainees in their training programme. These include completing an audit loop, a regional audit and supervision of more junior staff to presenting audits at regional or national meetings. 

Trainees are encouraged to do research and present at scientific meetings. Some trainees had also done certificate or diploma in research methods.

Study leave is available through the School. The study leave budget includes a small sum from Teaching in the Regional Bridging The Gap course. The recommended courses are tailored to individual trainees and the order of attendance agreed with their education supervisors.

Useful links:

Welcome Pack for ST3 New Starters