2.	Give 2 examples of specific learning needs you identified as part of your undergraduate medical training. Compare and contrast your approaches to addressing these differing needs. How will you use these experiences to develop your competence and performance as a foundation doctor?

Being able to conduct an audit and perform venous cannulation were the learning needs I identified. My approach to addressing these needs differed in that, as undergraduates, we are not required to complete an audit, but we must become proficient in cannulation. Using my initiative, I picked an attachment where I could conduct an audit; and being motivated to meet the learning outcomes set by the university, I attended the clinical skills sessions to learn cannulation. In both cases, I sought senior help in order to ensure I met my aims. For the audit, I worked on my own, reflecting on past experience of data collection & collation and learned as I went along. Becoming confident in cannulation however, required my recognition of the importance of practise. In order to achieve this, I was pro-active, practising on plastic mannequins and my peers before cannulating patients. I am now confident that I have acquired the necessary skills in order to improve my competence and performance as a foundation doctor. I realise these qualities can always be improved upon, but I now have the knowledge to conduct a small-scale audit, and the practical skill and experience to cannulate most patients in the clinical setting; both things being extremely relevant to my future career. In achieving my learning objectives, I displayed many of the qualities that a good foundation doctor requires, such as initiative, motivation, reflection and an awareness of the importance of practise and seeking help in order to improve performance.