Paediatric Oncology Trainees Group (POTG)

Connecting Trainees and Resident Doctors. 
Supporting the Future of Paediatric Oncology. 

The Paediatric Oncology Trainees Group (POTG) is a national network of resident doctors with an interest in paediatric oncology. The group is primarily made up of paediatric oncology subspecialty (GRID) trainees, trainees undertaking Special Interest (SPIN) training in paediatric oncology, and those considering applying for GRID or SPIN training. We also welcome any resident doctors or medical students interested in paediatric oncology, including those from related specialities such as general paediatrics, paediatric surgery, paediatric haematology and international medical graduates (IMG).  

POTG aims to support education, collaboration and professional development within paediatric oncology training. One of the greatest strengths of POTG is the inclusive and supportive national community it provides. Through educational meetings, online teaching sessions and collaborative projects, members have the opportunity to develop professional relationships with colleagues across the UK, share experiences and build networks that often continue throughout their careers. 

POTG circulates a monthly newsletter featuring educational opportunities, upcoming teaching sessions, research and audit projects, conferences, job vacancies and leadership opportunities, helping members stay informed and connected with the wider paediatric oncology community. We are happy to advertise relevant educational courses, conferences, research opportunities and job vacancies.

If you would like to include an opportunity in a future newsletter, please contact potg@cclg.org.uk.

Who we are 

Whilst at its conception many decades ago the POTG was predominantly comprised of GRID/subspecialty trainees, the POTG membership is now much for diverse and continues to evolve.  
POTG has more than 130 members and includes medical students, resident doctors, GRID and SPIN trainees, academic trainees and fellows. 

Our membership includes approximately: 

• 32% of members are GRID trainees 
• 34% are planning to apply for GRID training 
• 14% are SPIN trainees 
• 23% are academics 
• 29% are international medical graduates (IMGs) 
• From over 30 different hospitals across the UK

Current Committee 

Co-Chairs: Thomas Jackson & Amani Arthur 

Communication Lead: Rhian Thomas

Education Co-Leads: Banuja Srikumar & Luke Smith

SPIN Lead: Rachael Poffley 

Research and Audit Lead: Thomas Cherian 

IMG Lead: Hama Baqaeen 

Mentorship Lead: Alisha Burman 

What We Do 

Education & Training 

POTG organises regular educational opportunities covering a broad range of paediatric haemato-oncology topics relevant to doctors at all stages of training, including: 

• Monthly virtual Paediatric Oncology Education and Training (POET) sessions on a variety of clinical topics, audit updates, preparation for START assessment and dedicated sessions for SPIN trainees. These sessions typically last for an hour and run on a weekday from 8 to 9 pm
• Quarterly teaching sessions mapped to the paediatric oncology subspecialty curriculum. These sessions typically last two to three hours and run on a weekday afternoon from 2–5 pm and are available to watch back at a later date on CCLG Connect
• GRID interview preparation sessions, including Q&A sessions and mock interviews, which typically run in January and February in the lead-up to the GRID interviews
• The annual POTG Weekend Educational Meeting 

POTG Weekend Educational Meeting 

POTG organises an annual weekend meeting hosted by a different UK principal treatment centre each year. These meetings bring resident doctors together from across the country and serve several important purposes: 

• To provide education and training in paediatric oncology through guest lectures and teaching sessions led by experts within the host institution 
• To provide a forum for discussion of training issues and updates from the trainee representative on the RCPCH Oncology College Specialist Advisory Committee (CSAC) 
• To create opportunities for attendees from across the UK to meet in a supportive and social setting 

Research & Collaboration 

POTG actively encourages collaboration through POTG-led projects, working with consultant supervisors and national resident doctor leads to develop projects and recruit local centre leads. This approach enables resident doctors across the UK to contribute to national initiatives, collaborate between centres, and develop research and leadership skills within paediatric oncology. 

Since 2019, POTG members have led more than 14 national audit and service evaluation projects across a wide range of topics. To date these projects have resulted in: 

• 10 national presentations 
• 6 international presentations 
• 2 peer-reviewed publications 

Regular opportunities to contribute to ongoing projects are advertised through the monthly POTG newsletter.  We work closely with other CCLG Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to deliver national projects and welcome opportunities to develop new collaborations with SIGs or individuals. If you are interested in discussing a potential collaboration, please get in touch with us at potg@cclg.org.uk. 

Representation & Support 

POTG works closely with the trainee representative on the RCPCH Oncology CSAC to ensure trainee perspectives are represented in discussions on training and workforce development. In addition, our POTG dedicated SPIN representative helps to advocate for SPIN trainees. 

POTG additionally runs a mentoring scheme designed to support aspiring paediatric oncologists. Mentoring and peer support can be valuable for both mentees and mentors throughout clinical and academic training. As mentees come from a wide range of training stages, resident doctors and consultants are encouraged to volunteer as mentors. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, we would be delighted to hear from you, please contact us on potg@cclg.org.uk.  

As a subspecialty, paediatric oncology benefits from a diverse workforce, including many international medical graduates (IMGs) doctors working across UK centres. Our mentorship scheme can support IMG doctors by matching them with senior trainees, fellows and consultants who have shared similar training journeys. We also have a dedicated IMG doctor representative on the committee to advocate for IMG doctors and help signpost those seeking advice or support. 

Find out more about Paediatric Oncology Sub-Speciality Training (GRID).

Research, Audit and Service Evaluations 

POTG actively encourages collaboration through POTG-led national projects, working with consultant supervisors and national resident doctor leads to develop projects and recruit local centre leads. This approach enables resident doctors across the UK to contribute to national initiatives, collaborate between centres, and develop research and leadership skills within paediatric oncology. 

Since 2019, POTG members have led more than 14 national audit and service evaluation projects across a wide range of topics as shown below.

We work closely with other CCLG Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to deliver national projects and welcome opportunities to develop new collaborations with SIGs and individual members. If you are interested in collaborating on a project, please contact us at potg@cclg.org.uk. 

National resident doctor leads are recruited through the POTG newsletter to work alongside consultant leads. We then recruit local resident doctor leads again via the newsletters, who coordinate local registration of the project and data collection. We encourage members to become involved throughout the project, including data collection, analysis and presentation of results, with all contributions appropriately recognised. 

Membership and Support including Mentorship and IMG Support 

POTG has more than 130 members, including medical students, resident doctors, GRID and SPIN trainees, academic trainees, fellows and trust grade doctors. We aim to create a supportive network for anyone with an interest in paediatric oncology. This breadth of experience means you can connect with colleagues at every stage of training, share experiences, and build a strong professional network within paediatric oncology. 

Mentorship 

POTG is committed to supporting you throughout your paediatric oncology journey. Our mentorship scheme provides guidance, peer support and career development opportunities for aspiring paediatric oncologists, whether you are exploring the specialty, preparing for a GRID application or developing your academic career. 

The mentorship programme aims to: 

• Connect you with a senior trainee, fellow or consultant 
• Provide career guidance and practical advice 
• Support your professional development  

If you would like a mentor, you can sign up when applications open each year, usually during the summer, and we will match you with a suitable mentor. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, we would be delighted to hear from you - please contact us at potg@cclg.org.uk. 

Support for international medical graduates (IMGs) Doctors

We are proud to have a diverse membership, with around 30% of POTG members being IMG doctors. We recognise that working in a new healthcare system can present unique challenges, and we are committed to ensuring IMG doctors, both in training and trust grade posts feel welcomed and supported.  

If you are an IMG doctor, our mentorship scheme can match you with senior trainees, fellows or consultants who have followed a similar career pathway, either through the training program or the porfolio pathway. They can offer practical advice on working and training in the UK. We also have a dedicated IMG doctor representative on the POTG committee who advocates for IMG doctors and can help signpost you to further advice and support – please contact potg@cclg.org.uk. 

Resources: 

Team Soft Landing  Team Soft Landing wants to give all IMG Paediatricians, the support they wish they had when they first arrived to work in the NHS from overseas. They are a voluntary non-profit organisation hoping to make your first landing in the UK a bit softer. Run by IMG Paediatricians for IMG Paediatricians. Check out their free courses and sign up for the newsletter.

NHS E-learning for Healthcare NHS National Induction Programme For International Medical Graduates. This is more generic, while soft landing induction programme is paediatric-specific

Some trusts now offer separate induction for IMG doctors  

Education  

POTG provides a range of educational opportunities to support your learning throughout your paediatric oncology training. Our programme is designed for resident doctors at all stages and offers opportunities to expand your knowledge, prepare for sub-specialty training, and connect with colleagues from across the UK. 

Our regular educational activities include: 

• Monthly virtual Paediatric Oncology Education and Training (POET) sessions on a variety of clinical topics, audit updates, case exchanges, preparation for START assessment and dedicated sessions for SPIN trainees. These sessions typically last for an hour and run on a weekday from 8 to 9 pm.
• Quarterly virtual GRID teaching sessions mapped to the paediatric oncology subspecialty curriculum. These sessions typically last two to three hours and run on a weekday afternoon from 2–5 pm, with recordings available to watch on CCLG Connect 
• GRID interview preparation, including an annual Q&A session and mock interviews for applicants, which typically run in January and February in the lead-up to the GRID interviews.
• The annual POTG Weekend Educational Meeting, bringing resident doctors together for education, networking and collaboration 

If you are interested in presenting at a POET session, we would love to hear from you. We encourage all members to attend any sessions that are relevant to their learning and career development. For upcoming dates and links to teaching sessions, please see the POTG newsletter.  

POTG Weekend Educational Meeting 

Each year, POTG hosts a weekend educational meeting at one of the UK's Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs), usually in November. The meeting brings together resident doctors from across the country for a weekend of learning, networking and collaboration. 

The meeting aims to: 

• Deliver high-quality paediatric oncology education through teaching sessions led by experts from the host centre 
• Provide updates on paediatric oncology training, including discussions on national training issues and feedback from the trainee representative on the RCPCH Oncology College Specialty Advisory Committee (CSAC) 
• Create opportunities to meet resident doctors from across the UK, share experiences and build lasting professional networks in a welcoming and supportive environment 

The annual weekend meeting is one of the highlights of the POTG calendar and offers an excellent opportunity to learn from experts, exchange ideas with peers, and become part of the national paediatric oncology resident doctor community. 

This is a national meeting that aligns to curriculum learning and so should be eligible for study budgets and leave. For HEE trainees, this is within "PAED0046- National courses or training directly relevant to GRID or SPIN competencies” and “PAED0004 National Conference attendance relevant to curriculum progression”. Trainees in Wales and Scotland should follow their local pathways for study leave and budgets. 

This year, the weekend will be hosted by Cardiff on 28- 29 November 2026. To register, click here.

Previous hosts 

2025: Birmingham 
2024: Leeds  
2023: Cambridge 
2022: Newcastle 
2021: Southampton 
2020: Not held 
2019: Nottingham 
2018: London  

If you would like to host the POTG weekend in your centre, please contact us at potg@cclg.org.uk.

CCLG Annual Conference 

POTG hosts a lunchtime networking session at the CCLG Annual Conference, providing resident doctors with the opportunity to meet one another, network with colleagues from across the UK and learn more about the group's activities. We also have representation at the Meet the SIGs session. 

Other educational opportunities 

In addition to POTG events, we promote relevant educational opportunities through our monthly newsletter, including CCLG courses, external courses, conferences and webinars of interest to resident doctors in paediatric oncology. If you have any educational opportunities you would like to share, please contact us on potg@cclg.org.uk. Please also see the Useful Resources page for links to educational opportunities. 

Get Involved 

POTG membership is open to any resident doctor with an interest in paediatric oncology. 

We encourage all members to participate in meetings, educational sessions, mentoring opportunities and collaborative projects throughout the year, which are advertised in monthly newsletters.  

To join POTG: 

1. Become a CCLG member (discounted rates for the 1st year).  
2. Request to join POTG through the groups page on the CCLG website.

Join now

For further information, any questions or difficulties joining, please contact: 
potg@cclg.org.uk.