Specialty Training in Medicine in the UK
The MMC changes, themselves, are subject to further ongoing review following the recent independent inquiry into MMC led by Professor Sir John Tooke, the findings of which were published in January 2008 under the title “Aspiring to Excellence”, but commonly referred to as "The Tooke Report". Details regarding the ongoing changes in UK training can be accessed in our Changes in UK Training section. Specialist Training in Medicine: training structureFoundation TrainingAt present, medical graduates enter two-year Foundation Programmes designed to give trainees exposure to a range of competencies across a broad spectrum of specialties. During this period trainees are designated as Foundation Training Year 1 or 2 (FY1 or 2). For more information visit the Foundation Programme Website. Core Medical Training and Specialty TrainingFoundation Training is followed by Core Medical Training (CMT) and then Specialty Training (ST). CMT is the first common period of Specialty Training following selection out of Foundation Training. Entry to core and specialty training is by open competition and appointments are to training posts at the relevant Specialty Training level (eg ST1, ST2 etc). Competition RatiosLinks to the competion ratios in the four UK home countries will be posted here as they are available. CMT Programmes are designed to deliver core training in General Internal Medicine (Acute Medicine). During the programme Trainees will continue to acquire generic competencies by following the Generic Curriculum for Medical Specialties, which provides a sound professional, moral and legal framework for practice, as described by the General Medical Council’s ‘Good Medical Practice’. For the medical specialties, each trainee is currently required to acquire the level 1 competencies as defined in the General Internal Medicine (Acute Medicine) curriculum. It is anticipated that these will be achieved as part of a two year CMT or Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) training programme before entry to specialty training at ST3. Depending on the specialty, these training programmes will usually take a further four to six years. Those trainees in acute specialties who plan to take part in the acute medical take in their consultant working lives have to acquire the level 2 competencies defined in the General Internal Medicine (Acute Medicine) curriculum. It is anticipated that this will usually require a further two years’ training in General Internal Medicine (Acute Medicine) during the specialty training period. Assuming relevant competencies are achieved, each trainee will achieve a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in their specialty and will receive a certificate of credential in General Internal Medicine (Acute Medicine). The former facilitates entry to the Specialist Register of the GMC. Please note that there is a mandatory requirement for all trainees entering Specialty Training in the medical specialties in the UK to enrol with the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians’ Training Board (JRCPTB) (see below for further information re JRCPTB). Details of how to enrol with JRCPTB, and offset your training fees through RCPE membership, are provided here. Curricula for Specialty Training ProgrammesAt the last count there were 29 medical specialties or sub-specialties in the UK. Details of the curricula for each specialty can be accessed here. Curricula for specialty training programmes in medicine are drawn up by national Specialist Advisory Committees (SACs). SACs comprise representatives of the Colleges, the Deaneries and the relevant specialist societies. The co-ordinating body for the work of these Committees is the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians’ Training Board (JRCPTB) which operates on behalf of the three Royal Colleges of Physicians in the UK (Edinburgh, Glasgow and London). As well as drawing up the curricula, JRCPTB has piloted and implemented a range of Workplace Based Assessments that will help trainees to provide evidence of competence acquisition and has developed an e-portfolio to support CMT (under development for post-CMT specialty training). Completion of all parts of the MRCP(UK) examination (normally by the end of CMT) is mandatory for the award of a CCT in all medical specialties. In addition, Specialty Certificate Examinations, to be taken during specialty training, are being phased in for the different medical specialties – again, it has been suggested successful completion of the Specialty Certificate Examination for the relevant specialty will be mandatory for award of a CCT. Provision of training programmes in each region is the responsibility of the Postgraduate Dean. The CCT, giving entry onto the Specialist Register, is awarded by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB). RCPE support during TrainingIn addition to defining the framework for postgraduate training in the medical specialties, through JRCPTB and the SACs, the RCPE is a direct provider of education to support this training and helps physicians and colleagues in other health care professions to keep up-to-date with new developments throughout their careers, as part of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). We do this in a number of ways including hosting a number of educational events, ranging from Evening Medical Updates (aimed at doctors in training) to specialty-based symposia, making available archived webstreamed presentations of lectures given at RCPE events and providing an online general medicine Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme which covers all of the main specialties and includes material relating specifically to Core Medical Training. FREE RCPE membership for medical students and Foundation Year doctorsThe RCPE offers a range of membership grades at competitive rates which we have developed to support doctors throughout their training. This includes our e-Associate grade which offers a range of educational, professional and personal benefits to students and Foundation Year doctors (or international equivalent) FREE. Access How to join for further details of our membership grades and benefits for Trainees. |
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Postgraduate training programmes in medicine in the UK are currently in transition under the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) programme which was developed by the Department of Health (DoH) in order to reform the Senior House Officer (SHO) grade of doctor and to bring more structure into the career paths for doctors. Whilst MMC was introduced by the DoH in England, it is country-specific and has been administered and implemented locally in each of the four UK home countries.