Competencies of junior medical doctors in managing seriously ill and injured children: time to rethink our current training approach?

This article focuses on the competencies of South African junior doctors in managing seriously ill and injured children, highlighting their resuscitation training, experience, skills, and knowledge. A survey of 118 interns, medical officers, and paediatric registrars from seven medical schools revealed frequent participation in paediatric resuscitations but identified significant gaps in formal accredited training, regular in-house training, feedback, and debriefing practices. Although most junior doctors reported adequate knowledge, only 56% passed a theoretical knowledge test based on Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) guidelines, with deficiencies noted in managing septic shock, status asthmaticus, and airway maneuvers. The study underscores missed learning opportunities that may affect the quality of paediatric emergency care and recommends structured orientation, refresher courses, and debriefing to enhance junior doctors’ competencies in South Africa and similar resource-constrained settings.