Microbiologists encouraged to spend more time outside the lab
Clinical microbiologists from low and middle-income countries are being encouraged to spend more time outside the lab and show a greater presence on hospital wards to foster closer working relationships with fellow clinicians.
The trust’s microbiology department is participating in the prestigious Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Scholarship programme that allows mid-career microbiologists from places like India to spend six weeks seeing how their counterparts work in the UK.
Dr Gopal Rao said: “A lot of my senior overseas colleagues are historically tied to the lab whereas in the UK we take a more holistic approach to clinical microbiology. This includes provision of high-quality laboratory services as well as a closer working relationship with other clinical colleagues in the management of infections in the hospital and the wider community.
“These microbiologists can make a real impact on patient care in their respective countries and the scholarship shows the importance of a holistic approach to the management of infections to improve clinical outcomes, prudent use of antibiotics and importance of preventing the spread of infections in hospital.
“Antimicrobial resistance is major problem in India, and it is encouraging to see some of the clinicians who have passed through here implementing service change when they return home.
"This includes the introduction of regular ward rounds, improved communications with other clinicians, implementing robust antimicrobial stewardship, and reinforcing good infection control practices.”
Two of the participating fellows have since gone on to greater things including appointment as a professor in antimicrobial stewardship and appointment as a clinical microbiologist in the antimicrobial resistance division of the World Health Organisation.
Dr Abhishek Padhi, an Assistant Professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot described his time at the trust as ‘looking into Tomorrow’s World’ describing biomedical scientists as the heroes behind the scenes. “It was masterclass in precision diagnostics, streamlined automation, and collaborative clinical care coming together to create a robust support system for management of infections.”
Dr Rao added: “It’s a two-way street because we too learn about how our overseas colleagues manage conditions and outbreaks that are rare in the UK.”