Overview
Thank you for your interest in CHHE 702 Clinical Attachment in Paediatrics, which is coordinated by the Department of Paediatrics, University of Otago, Wellington.
The Postgraduate Diploma of Child Health (DCH) is strongly recommended for any doctor aiming to pursue a career which may include contact with children or children's affairs—especially general practice, paediatrics, paediatric surgery, child psychiatry, public health, etc.
Studying for this paper will also help you gain confidence in recognising and managing acutely ill children.
This is a distance-taught paper.
Order of study
You can take CHHE 702 before or after you take CHHE 701—but not at the same time as CHHE 701.
Please note that unlike CHHE 701, CHHE 702 is only available to doctors.
Paediatric employment requirement
Whilst enrolled in CHHE 702 you must also be employed in an approved paediatric position at an approved paediatric medical centre. This must be for a minimum of six months.
Most paediatric wards in New Zealand hospitals are acceptable.
During this time, it is expected that you will also attend outpatient clinics; you will have a supervisor who will give feedback about your professionalism and competence.
Time commitment
There will be two one-hour tutorials most weeks in the evenings, which are delivered online, or occasionally by teleconference by experts in the field employed by the University of Otago.
These are live sessions (not recordings). You are expected to make the time to attend and interact in these tutorials.
On top of this you will have local tutorials scheduled at your local hospital. These will have to fit around those teaching you. You will have up to 15 of these local tutorials throughout the semester including exam preparation sessions. You are expected to attend these, if you cannot make it due to work hours, then you need to contact the person teaching the session and re-schedule.
You will also be expected to keep up with readings that will be provided on Moodle.
You will get local bedside teaching from your regional supervisor at your hospital. This will cover examination skills in paediatrics as well as developmental assessment, etc.
You will usually also be observed in outpatients by your local supervisor, consulting with patents and their parents. Your hospital has agreed to give you protected time to practice for this diploma during your period of employment.
Exam and assessment format
You will sit a written and clinical exam at the end of the semester. These rotate between Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington.
You will not have any other formal assessments throughout the semester, but you will be expected to engage throughout your clinical attachment both with local and distant tutors, and we will receive feedback regarding your competence and professionalism.
Zoom
Zoom is an internet-based videoconferencing platform, which will be used for CHHE 702 teaching sessions.
Details of how to connect to Zoom will be provided once you have enrolled.
Zoom can be used on Windows or Mac computers, or mobile devices.
Further information
You will receive a guidebook once enrolled with more information. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the paper co-ordinator: