Recruitment in 2020 runs in line with previous years with the entry requirements unchanged from 2019 in that anyone who has successfully completed CMT training will be eligible to apply for Higher Specialty Training. Applications to this recruitment round close on the 19th February 2020. There will be a second round as normal for any remaining vacant posts occurring in July 2020.
There will be some significant changes to Stage 2 training occurring in 2021. Higher Speciality Training has been separated into Group 1 and Group 2 specialties.
Group 1: Acute Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Endocrinology & Diabetes Mellitus, Gastroenterology, Genitourinary Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Infectious Diseases (except when dual with Medical Microbiology or Virology), Neurology, Palliative Medicine, Renal Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology.
Group 2: Allergy, Audiovestibular Medicine, Aviation & Space Medicine, Clinical Genetics, Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Oncology, Dermatology, Haematology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases (when dual with Medical Microbiology or Virology), Intensive care medicine (Single CCT), Medical Microbiology, Medical Virology, Medical Oncology, Medical Ophthalmology, Nuclear Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Paediatric Cardiology, Pharmaceutical Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine.
Group 2 specialities will be recruiting as normal in 2021 and onwards with the entry requirement being either successful completion of CMT2 or IMT2 as a minimum.
It is anticipated that there will be limited recruitment to legacy ST3 posts in Group 1 specialties in 2021 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In England it is anticipated that there will be no recruitment to ST3 posts in Group 1 specialties in 2021 and Wales currently anticipate recruiting to the majority of medical specialties including Group 1. It is expected that Cardiology, Neurology, GUM and Palliative care will be recruiting to ST3 posts in 2021 as normal across all 4 nations.
Group 1 specialities are all required to dual accredit with general internal medicine from 2022 and at present those who are already training within a Group 1 specialty may be required to transition over to the new curriculum within 2 years of it being ratified unless they are in their last year of training. There are ongoing discussions with the GMC about this and trainees are strongly advised to keep up to date with the curriculum requirements via the JRCPTB news page.
Doctors who have completed CMT with a favourable outcome (See JRCPTB website for full details) will be eligible to take up an IMY3 stand-alone post in 2021 (or August 2020 in Northern Ireland subject to a recruitment process) should they so wish in the deanery in which they completed their CMT training. There will be a process to assess and allocate those who are unable to return to their previous deanery in certain specific circumstances. Trainees are strongly advised to complete the expression of interest document if they feel that they would wish to take up an IM3 post as this will enable local deaneries to plan posts and will act as a mailing list so that you receive up to date guidance.
Entry requirements for Group 2 specialties will remain largely unchanged in 2022.
Entry requirements for Group 1 specialties will require candidates to have successfully completed an IMTY3 or equivalent with full MRCP(UK) diploma.
Candidates can demonstrate this by:
• Successful completion of IMY3 with an ARCP outcome 6, or an outcome 3 or 4 indicating just the full MRCP(UK) required, and subsequent full completion of the MRCP(UK).
• Completion of an Alternative Certificate of Core Competence demonstrating IMY3-level competence. The form will be updated for the new internal medicine stage 1 curriculum.
Those wishing to demonstrate experience via the alternative certificate of core competency should be aware of the GMC rules on utilising experience from outside an approved training programme as this would currently mean that the exit route would be via the CESR-CP rather than CCT, although this may be subject to review.
