General Training Information


Documents






CEM – Training Information – from entry to specialty to Consultant level


The College of Emergency Medicine sets the standards for specialist training in Emergency Medicine. The Training Standards Committee, on behalf of the College, is responsible for the supervision of training in the specialty and recommending trainees to the GMC for specialist registration at the end of their training.

Contents of this page:

Specialist Registrars
Specialty Registrars
Enrolment and Registration
E-portfolio
Out of Programme Training and Experience
Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training
Applying for CCT or CESR CP
Annual training administration fee
Categories of College membership open to trainees
Quality Assurance and Educational Approval
Deanery externality and quality management
College Tutor job description
Emergency Medicine Curriculum
Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine
Dual accreditation with Intensive Care Medicine
Additional recognised training in Acute Medicine
Contacts
Useful websites

Specialist Registrars (SpRs)

Advice for SpRs and StRs is not always the same. Information specifically for specialist registrars appointed to post before January 2007 can be found on the Pre-07 SpR page of this website.


Specialty Registrars (StRs)

Advice for trainees in run-through training posts, core specialty training posts, higher specialty training posts and fixed term training posts is available in the documents downloadable below.

  • A trainee’s guide to Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine (download)
  • Quick reference for Specialty Trainees (download)
  • Exams & Emergency Medicine training (download)
  • Calculation of CCT and CESR-CPs - 2007 entry trainees (download)
  • Advice on the assessment of competences for ARCPs 2007 entry trainees (download)
  • Calculation of CCT and CESR-CPs - 2008 entry trainees, except Scotland (download)
  • Calculation of CCT and CESR-CPs - 2008 entry trainees, Scotland (download)
  • Calculation of CCT and CESR-CPs - 2009 entry trainees (download)
  • Calculation of Year of Entry into Specialty Training 2010 (download)
  • Calculation of CCT and CESR-CPs – 2011 Entry Trainees (download)
  • Glossary of Terms (download)
  • Commonly used acronyms (download)

 

Enrolment and Registration

Trainees who have been issued with National Training Numbers (NTNs); run-through trainees and higher specialty trainees should enrol with the Training Standards Committee (TSC), Enrolment will enable the College to, in due course, confirm eligibility for the FCEM examination and make a recommendation to the GMC for inclusion on the specialist register.

Trainees who have not been issued with a National Training Number; core trainees, those in Fixed Term Specialty Training Appointments (FTSTA) or Locum Appointment for Training (LAT) posts should register with the Training Standards Committee (TSC). As part of this process the TSC will advise on the recognition of previous training and the training required to complete the programme.

To start the enrolment process trainees in substantive appointments should complete the enrolment and registration form downloadable below and return it with their CV and Form R if available.

• Enrolment and Registration form to be completed by core trainees and NTN holders (download)

Trainees in FTSTA or LAT posts should complete the registration form below. This last page of this form must be completed and signed by the trainee’s postgraduate dean, head of school, STC Chair or Training Programme Director.

• FTSTA and LAT registration form (download)

 

CEM E-portfolio

The E-portfolio is available for trainees to record assessments and progress through training. It is now required by the College for all run through trainees, core trainees, higher specialty trainees and those in fixed term posts. The e-portfolio is accessible at www.nhseportfolios.org and a username and password is required for access. A password will be issued to trainees who complete the e-portfolio user details form. Trainees must resubmit the form annually so that their post and supervisor details can be updated. Trainees must be up to date with their annual training fee before their account can be updated.

Educational supervisors, who do not already have an account on the e-portfolio, should complete the e-portfolio educational supervisor’s form. If the supervisor wishes to be linked to a particular trainee’s account please let us know.

• E-portfolio user details form 2011/2012 - (download)
• E-portfolio educational supervisor’s details form – (download)

Note: We are no longer requiring the educational supervisor signature on the user details form

 

Out of Programme Training and Experience

With the permission of their postgraduate deanery trainees may undertake Out of Programme Training (OOPT), Out of Programme Experience (OOPE), Out of Programme Research (OOPR) or take an Out of Programme Career Break (OOPC).

Trainees planning to go out of programme for any reason should contact the College as soon as possible in advance.  This is especially important if they expect to have some or all of the time recognised toward CCT as this must be approved in advance.  Only OOPTs can count toward CCT or CESR CP.

Trainees should send the College details of the post they will be undertaking and written confirmation that they have the provisional approval of their local EM School, Specialty Training Committee or Postgraduate Deanery.   One of the TSC Professional Leads will review the details received and make a recommendation as to how much, if any, of the training can be recognised toward CCT.

Any out of programme training recognised toward CCT must be prospectively approved by the GMC.  The Deanery will make an OOPT application to the GMC on the trainee’s behalf and will require documentation in support as well as a letter of support from the College. 

 

Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training

Guidance to help trainees and trainers understand the application process and practical implications of less than full time training is available here.

 

Applying for CCT or CESR CP

Before a trainee can become a Consultant in a substantive position they must make an application for specialist registration.  The Training Administrators at the College will write to all trainees who are within four months of completion of training, who have passed the FCEM exam, sending:

  • Guidance as to what documentation is required by the College;
  • A CCT application form;

We will also advise the GMC Certification Department of the names of all trainees expected to finish their training and they will contact trainees directly with advice as to how make an online application to them.

Trainees must be signed off by the postgraduate deanery with a final ARCP as well as making an application to both the College and the GMC.

Once all required documentation is received by the College we check that trainees have completed the minimum required years of recognised training, that all parts of the programme and all required exams have been completed and that we have satisfactory ARCPs for each year of training.  One of the College professional leads approves the application on behalf of the Training Standards Committee.

Once approved a recommendation is made to the GMC.  The GMC will link the College’s recommendation with the online application from the trainee.  In most cases the applicant is then admitted to the specialist register but the GMC does occasionally ask for our training file for the purposes of quality assurance.

Frequently asked questions - download

 

Annual Training Administration Fee

All trainees must pay an annual training fee for the administration of their training and access to the e-portfolio. Those who pay subscriptions for one of the categories of College membership, or those applying for membership pay a reduced fee. The fee is currently payable by cheque made out to the College of Emergency Medicine and is payable in August, at the beginning of each training year. All trainees must pay the fee including those in fixed term posts. Flexible trainees pay the same fee as full time trainees but will pay no more than six fees. Trainees out of programme on reduced income for more than six months should contact the College regarding exemptions.

• Training year August 2008 - July 2009 - annual training fee £160 or £80 for Members/Associate Members/Fellows
• Training year August 2009 - July 2010 - annual training fee £160 or £80 for Members/Associate Members/Fellows
• Training year August 2010 - July 2011 - annual training fee £180 or £90 for Members/Associate Members/Fellows

Return payment form – (download)
Training fee statement – (download)
Membership subscriptions and the training fee – (download)

 

Categories of membership open to trainees

The Training Standards Committee recommends that trainees become members of the College as this conveys additional advantages. For example members may access other College resources such as e-learning material, College mailings and pay reduced fees for conferences.

Becoming a member of the College is different to enrolling or registering with the Training Standards Committee. The following categories of membership are available to trainees:

Associate membership

Associate membership is available for trainees in years ST1-3 or CT1-3 who have not passed MCEM and for trainees in FTSTA appointments and LAT appointments at any year of training, unless they have been successful in MCEM.

Membership by election

Membership by election is available for trainees in ST4 and above who have not passed MCEM.

Membership by examination

Membership by examination is available for trainees at any level who have passed the full membership examination.

How to apply for membership

Membership application documentation is available in the Membership section of this website. You should complete and return the appropriate forms, direct debit mandate and equal opportunities form. If you have passed the MCEM examination you will be contacted directly about your membership and need not complete a form.

 

Quality Assurance and Educational Approval

The General Medical Council (GMC), working with postgraduate deaneries, is responsible of the approval of posts and programmes for postgraduate medical training. The CEM works with the GMC to establish national standards for the approval of training posts and programmes.

Departments seeking educational approval for training or a review of educational approval should take advice from their local EM Head of School/Specialty Training Committee chair about making an application to the GMC via the postgraduate deanery

• Educational recognition of specialty training posts and programmes (download)
• Eligibility to be a trainer (download)

 

Deanery Externality and Quality Management

Deanery externality for quality assurance processes such as ARCP or quality visits is supported by College representation in accordance with agreed guidance. Where helpful, College documentation can be completed for feedback to the CEM and Deanery by external representatives.

Deanery externality and quality management (download)
ARCP panel external assessor form (download)
Deanery hospital/school visit external assessor form (download)

 

College Tutor Job Description

The College Tutor role is new to Emergency Medicine. It is now expected that all sites training specialty trainees in Emergency Medicine will appoint a Head of Specialty Training (College Tutor). This appointment will oversee the training of junior doctors in Emergency Medicine (both at Core Training and Higher Specialty Training level) on behalf of the College of Emergency Medicine (CEM). The aim of the document downloadable here is to help clarify the appointments process, role and responsibilities of the CEM College Tutor.

College tutor job description (download)

 

Emergency Medicine Curriculum

The curriculum applicable to specialty training in Emergency Medicine and sub-specialty training in Paediatric Emergency Medicine can be found in the Curriculum section of the website.

 

Paediatric Emergency Medicine

Paediatric Emergency Medicine is a recognised sub-specialty of Emergency Medicine. Successful completion of a sub-specialty training programme can be recorded with your main specialty on the GMC specialist register. The training consists of six months in a Paediatric Emergency Medicine department approved for sub-specialty training and six months of ward-based paediatrics, three months of which should be in the care of unconscious and critically ill children, such as in a Paediatric ICU. Competences of the programme can be found in the Curriculum section of this website. Not all programmes will be able to offer, or trainees able to pursue, sub-specialty training and appointment will be on a competitive basis. Trainees must hold a training number before they can be appointed to a sub-specialty training post.

More information about PEM training can be found at Paediatric Emergency Medicine

 

Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine

Information about Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine training can be found at http://www.ibtphem.org.uk

 

Dual accreditation with Intensive Care Medicine

Intermediate and Advanced level accreditation in Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) is currently available for EM trainees as regulated by the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM). This training is available on a competitive basis and leads to dual CCTs in ICM and EM but only when both training programmes have been completed. Not all programmes will be able to offer, or trainees able to pursue, dual accreditation. Training time is extended as guided by the FICM.

Once appointed to an ICM CCT post for the purposes of Dual accreditation trainees must ensure that they are registered with the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine; registration forms can be found on the FICM website:
 http://www.ficm.ac.uk/for-trainees/registration-for-training.ashx   Any queries should be directed to ficm@rcoa.ac.uk Trainees should also inform the College so that CCT/CESR-CP date can be reviewed.

Important note. The Intensive Care Medicine curriculum is currently undergoing a revision and approval process with the GMC. Trainees planning to dual accredit with ICM who have not yet had their training requirements specified by the FICM should note that it is possible that the current situation whereby an EM trainee will typically require 18 months Anaesthetics/ICM training in order to dually accredit may well change. It is possible that the extra training requirements could be of the order of several years.

Further information can be found on the IBTICM website www.ficm.ac.uk

 

Additional recognised training in Acute Medicine

Acute Medicine is now a recognised CCT specialty. Discussion between the Royal College of Physicians and the College of Emergency Medicine as to whether it will be possible to develop a programme for dual accreditation is ongoing, however, this option is not currently available.

 

Contacts

Contact details of the regional Heads of Training including postgraduate deaneries can be found here.

The Training Administrators at the College of Emergency Medicine are:

David Greening – david.greening@collemergencymed.ac.uk

Oonah Newbury – oonah.newbury@collemergencymed.ac.uk

 

Useful websites

Modernising Medical Careers – www.mmc.nhs.uk
The General Medical Council – www.gmc-uk.org
Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans in the UK - www.copmed.org.uk
Acute Care Common Stem – www.accsuk.org.uk