Conflict in the Consultation

About 20 GPs and GP trainees attended this innovative Birmingham conference on 14 June on handling contraception and abortion consultations led by Huw Morgan, Eileen O’Sullivan, Mervyn McGowan and Peter Saunders. The interactive programme involved mainly small group work and role play as principles were put into practice and insights shared.

Juniors’ Open House Meetings

More Open House groups are continuing to spring up around the country, providing an opportunity for juniors to meet other Christian juniors in their local area, and enjoy a forum for support and encouragement. Why don’t you go along to one in your area, or if there isn’t one already, consider setting one up? CMF office has a starter pack to help you out. Details on page 8.

Pastoral Care

JHOs and SHOs starting new jobs in February have been linked to other CMF members for fellowship and support. If you have not been linked, it is probably because there is no ‘pastoral carer’ in your vicinity - but if in doubt contact Jeremy Franklin at the CMF Office.

Beyond the Bleep

The next annual juniors conference will be held at Hothorpe Hall, Leicestershire on 7-9 September. The main speaker is Pablo Martinez, Spanish psychiatrist, and popular Word Alivespeaker and author. There will also be a range of seminars on career options and issues juniors face. Publicity will be out soon but please put the date aside in your diary.

Overseas work

Guten Tag from Germany! We all know how we organise junior Doctors’ conferences here in the UK but what about elsewhere? In April 2003, three members of the CMF junior doctors committee, James Tomlinson, Liz Croton and Eleanor Chiu went to Germany to participate in the second junior doctors conference. Situated 100 miles from Frankfurt, the conference brought together 30 doctors and students from all over Germany. The talks tackled important JD issues with the last talk given by Dr Dankmar Stein who gave a moving testimony of his conversion to Christianity in an American POW camp. We were really touched by how welcome we were made to feel and how much effort had been put into ensuring quality fellowship among the doctors with each evening centred around eating and drinking in a café style atmosphere. It is really encouraging to witness how much juniors’ work has grown in Germany with almost nothing for this group of doctors pre-1996. We have been lucky to have a number of the German junior doctors committee join us at our Beyond the Bleep conferences in the UK and hope to welcome more international guests at future conferences here in the UK.

Future developments

As a juniors’ committee in CMF there are lots of ideas we’re hoping to develop in the near future to better support and equip you. Plans are in progress for a Careers Day and a Mentoring Scheme – look out for more details! Do get in touch if you have other ideas you’d like to see put into action.

Juniors’ email discussion group

For Christian junior doctors worldwide. If you would like to join email Mark Pickering at mark.pickering@cmf.org.uk