Certificate Of Completion Of Training Research Articles

Safe sedation?

Safe sedation?

PMETB AND Me Or How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love Article 14

The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) was established by an act of Parliament in 2003, to set standards for postgraduate medical education and training and to ensure that those standards are met. On 30 September 2005 PMETB took over the functions of the Specialist Training Authority and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice. Under article 14(4) of the regulations governing PMETB, doctors whose training or qualifications and experience, considered together, meet the requirements of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) programme in one of the standard CCT specialties, may apply to PMETB for a statement of eligibility for registration. This in turn allows application to the General Medical Council for admission to the specialist register.

Neurosurgical trainees' perceptions of course value and study leave budgets

With the advent of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) in 2007 neurosurgery adopted 'run-through' training, whereby trainees apply to a neurosurgical rotation that takes them through from foundation training to its completion and the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). This is in contrast to the post-MMC training programmes for the rest of the surgical specialties, in which trainees apply to a core surgical training (CST) rotation, followed by open competition after their second core training (CT2) year for appointment into a specialty training (ST) rotation in the surgical specialty of their choice.

Radiology academies

2010 saw the “graduation” of the class of 2005. The first group of radiology trainees to have experienced a completely new approach to training, delivered in large part through radiology academies, will receive their CCT (certificate of completion of training) and embark on their career as consultants in radiology. It is timely, therefore to reflect on the reasons for the establishment of the academies, the challenges that were encountered and the achievements, in particular of the trainees who in some eyes acted as guinea pigs for a completely new training philosophy.

Clinical Fellowships in Surgery

A plethora of terms has appeared in recent years to describe posts that lie outside standard training programmes. The term 'clinical fellowship' (CF) is widely used to describe specialised posts undertaken at the end of training, that is, out-of-programme (OOP) experience (with variable degrees of recognition towards a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)). It is also often used to designate posts that combine elements of research, teaching and clinical work filled by individuals who wish to take time out from their training programme (often to obtain an additional qualification) or by those who have been unsuccessful in gaining a place within a training programme. The unknown number of such posts seriously jeopardises surgical workforce calculations.

A critique of the specialty certificate examinations of the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK

The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the U.K. has developed a programme to deliver specialty certificate examinations. These are knowledge-based examinations to be passed by all senior trainees in most medical specialties seeking a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). These examinations have been evaluated on their validity, reliability, educational impact, cost effectiveness, acceptability and standard setting methodology on the basis of internal evidence and the results of a published pilot. The evidence so far suggests that though reasonable reliability (reproducibility) can be achieved, validity (testing what is intended) may be lacking. Educational impact, cost effectiveness, and acceptability require more evidence. Consistency in standard setting is difficult.

European Educational Networks in Psychiatry

There have been a number of recent changes in training and education in psychiatry in the UK in the last decade. A new regulator has emerged called the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), which is independent of government and has responsibility for the standards and quality assurance of all postgraduate education, training and assessment in medicine and dentistry. In April 2010 this body will merge with the General Medical Council, which has the regulatory powers for registration, keeping the specialist register and approving medical school curricula. There will be the addition of another year called Foundation year 2, where trainees learn more generic skills prior to choosing their specialty training. After completion of the Foundation Programme, trainees will enter a specialist training programme leading directly to the award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). Entry to the programme will be competitive, but subject to satisfactory progress, no other further competition will be needed before the completion of training. These changes have a serious impact on selection, recruitment and retention of trainees. Comparisons with other European countries will be discussed, along with the potential advantages of educational networks.

Post-Certificate of Completion of Training fellowships

Postgraduate medical training has changed. There is a significant reduction in hours of experience and training time due to the European Working Time Directive, a relative lag in substantive consultant post expansion and a resulting 'bulge' of trainees joining the specialist register having attained a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). Until the necessary expansion takes place, it is therefore less likely that all post-CCT trainees will immediately acquire substantive positions. Traditional historical alternatives for career progression at this point have been a locum consultancy, a period of research or an overseas fellowship. This article discusses the pros and cons of another more controversial alternative: a post-CCT fellowship.

Dual training in psychiatry: where now?

SummaryThis is a time of rapid change in postgraduate training, the implications of which are wide ranging. This paper reviews the current situation regarding dual training in psychiatry. Included is an analysis of utilisation of dual training in psychiatric specialities gleaned via the College membership data and an examination of the current employment prospects in relation to dual training. the impact on dual training of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC), competency-based training and the possibility of a single Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in psychiatry is considered. Suggestions are then made for the way forward.

Unsuccessful Article 14 Submissions to the Specialist Register for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery

It is a legal requirement that all NHS consultants have their names entered on the General Medical Council (GMC)'s specialist register. Entry to the register can be obtained by two routes. The first is to obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in a recognised specialty training programme approved by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB). The second is by obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) by the article 14 process.

Making the Most of Surgical Training

It is widely believed that it is impossible to train surgical trainees to Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)-level in a mere 48-hour week; that trainees cannot gain sufficient exposure to surgical disease or carry out an acceptable number of procedures to gain the confidence and competence for CCT within the time now available. The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) is a reality and hospitals are already implementing strict controls to ensure its trainees do not exceed the hours they are allowed to work, resulting in a consultant-led service that further restricts training time and opportunity.

The post-CCT subconsultant grade: the case against

The concept of a subconsultant grade is not a new one and has existed within the NHS in various guises for a number of years (such as staff grades and senior registrars). In the main, changes in postgraduate education such as the Calman reforms and Modernising Medical Careers have aimed to reduce such roles as they are inevitably heavily weighted to service provision with limited prospects of career progression. However, the increasing discrepancy between the number of trainees completing their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and the number of vacant consultant posts has pushed this contentious topic back to the fore.

Post-CCT fellowships

A proposal to promote excellence in surgical practice has, rather surprisingly, been met with mixed feelings from trainees and trainers alike. Many excellent surgical departments in the UK provide clinical fellowships to support surgeons wishing to enhance their experience in specific subspecialties. It is common practice for trainees approaching the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) to seek fellowship posts overseas to improve their knowledge and skills in order to make them more competitive for the consultant posts of their choice. I have often quoted the experience gained by many of my ex-registrars who have undertaken fellowships in Australia, Canada and America and who confirm the added benefits gained when embarking on consultant practice. So the concept of fellowships is not new.

What will one CCT mean for us?

On 3 July 2006 we emailed members and fellows to inform them of Council’s decision that the College should apply to change from six certificates of completion of training (CCTs) to one CCT. We have been asked some questions about this change and here are the answers to the most frequently asked

Changes to the number of CCTs will have a positive impact on training

I read with interest the eLetter from the President and the Dean of the College about the proposed changes to the number of certificates of completion of training (CCTs) in psychiatry ( ). No doubt these changes will have a significant impact on the

Consultant – not sub-consultant

This College's position on the end point of training and the award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) continues to provoke comment. A report in Hospital Doctor in April 2006 quotes a trainee representative calling into question my personal position vis-à-vis the creation of a sub-consultant grade, while Hospital Doctor in its same report noted that this was not the College's position.

The Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) for general practice

Jill Edwards and Bill Reith explain the new processes for getting your hands on a coveted CCT in general practice

Neuroimaging: a new training issue in psychiatry?

Many studies recently have highlighted the role of neuroimaging in the diagnosis and management of patients with psychiatric disorders (Lewis, 1996; Costa et al, 1999; Longworth et al, 1999). In old age psychiatry, a diagnosis of dementia is facilitated by structural and functional imaging, both of which have been shown to increase the accuracy with which a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can be made (Zakzanis et al, 2003). There is also a role for neuroimaging in the differential diagnosis of organic brain syndromes, which are often referred to the old age and liaison psychiatric services. The usefulness of neuroimaging has extended further into the area of the major functional psychiatric disorders by contributing to our understanding of the aetiology and pathophysiology of these illnesses. Despite this, image interpretation has not yet been incorporated into the training of psychiatrists, at junior or senior level. In this, we differ from other specialist areas of medicine where the ability to interpret images is an integral part of training. At present, the Royal College of Psychiatrists is developing a competency-based curriculum for senior trainees that will lead to the certificate of completion of training (CCT). This will replace the existing CCST (certificate of completion of specialist training; http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/traindev/postgrad/ccst.htm). In order to obtain the CCT, a series of ‘general competencies' will be recommended for all senior trainees, which will involve the trainee developing expertise in a number of roles identified by the College. These include the roles of clinician, researcher and educator, among others. Specific key competencies will be further recommended in the development of these general competencies, with variations in some key competencies according to the sub-specialty.

The future of coloproctology in the UK: The trainees view

Major changes are imminent in the mode of surgical training and the manner both ''general'' and ''specialist'' surgeons provide services. This is the first interactive survey of UK Coloproctology trainees. At the 2004 DUKES Club (colorectal trainees) meeting an interactive digital-media voting system enabled blinded assessment of members regarding training and organisational issues in Coloproctology. 78% of trainees intended to be colorectal specialists. 92% thought a specialist qualification necessary, 90% believed it should be administered at the time of certificate of completion of training (CCT). Overall, 40%, 40% and 20% would pay 1000 <, 1000-3000 pounds and > 5000 pounds respectively per year for adequate training. Over 80% thought low anterior resection, APER, major lower GI-bleeding, pelvic floor, IBD and rectal cancer surgery should only be performed by specialists, and many thought colonic cancer surgery (46%), diverticular surgery (52%), and perianal sepsis (38%) management was a specialist necessity. UK Colorectal trainees believe a specialist exam necessary, colorectal specialists should treat a defined group of conditions/cases and would pay for adequate training.