More than a title: what being an associate college tutor taught me about leadership, community and change
Witnessing the breadth of initiatives delivered by my fellow ACTs was truly inspiring. These included career support events, educational teaching, quality improvement projects and work to help resident doctors build confidence in future leadership roles, including a shadowing programme, ‘Acting up as the medical registrar’. Whether focused on education, wellbeing or professional development, each initiative shared a common goal: improving the training experience of resident doctors.
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Some of my fellow ACTs championed an extensive project focused on improving access to outpatient learning opportunities. They identified that many resident doctors felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of clinics available within a large tertiary centre. Information about which clinics offered valuable educational experiences was often difficult to find. Developing a clinic directory helped make those opportunities more visible and easier to access. While the intervention itself was relatively straightforward, it made a meaningful difference by removing barriers that prevented resident doctors from making the most of their training time.
Yet much of the important work happened behind the scenes. Throughout the year, ACTs delivered regional teaching, supported the PACES programme, participated in IMT peer mentoring, attended monthly meetings with college tutors and postgraduate education teams, and represented resident doctors at regional and national events. These activities rarely generate headlines, but they form the foundations of effective educational leadership. They create opportunities for collaboration, ensure resident doctor perspectives are represented and help build lasting improvements that extend beyond a single training year.
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Evaluating the impact of our work was an important part of ensuring that our initiatives delivered meaningful improvements. I established the annual ACT impact report to document our shared projects, capture quantitative outcomes and incorporate testimonials from the ACTs who delivered these initiatives as well as the resident doctors who had benefitted from them. The report serves as a record of what we collectively achieved and offers a foundation upon which incoming ACTs can build.
Personally, the role has also been a significant source of professional development. It has strengthened my confidence as a leader, improved my ability to influence change and introduced me to an incredible network of colleagues who are equally passionate about education. Some of my favourite memories from the year are not linked to a particular project or meeting, but to the friendships formed and the shared sense of purpose that developed within our ACT team. The IMT end-of-year social, which brought resident doctors together to celebrate the year and connect outside the workplace, felt like a fitting reflection of that spirit.
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