Hi, I am Deepthi, an NHS doctor and IMG from India. In today's blog, I will guide you through the application process for medical training in the UK.
Speciality training application planning needs good focus and a clear idea. It cannot be achieved overnight. It needs steady and consistent hard work. This can be started within a few months of joining an NHS job. Talk to colleagues planning for the same training. A good discussion can help you to do things in an effective manner.
Mandatory criteria
1. MBBS or equivalent qualification
2. Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST)
This certificate can only be signed by a Consultant or equivalent if you have worked with them for a minimum continuous period of three months whole-time equivalent wholly within the 3.5 years. Always make sure to download the latest version of this form from the ORIEL website before getting it signed. Read more here.
Important criteria
The most important sections where you can score well includes teaching, audits and quality improvement projects (QIP) and presentations.
1. Teaching
Max score - 6
The maximum score is obtained by designing and organising teaching for three months or longer with formal feedback. You can organise teaching in your department by liaising with your colleagues and seniors.
Training in teaching - Attend courses in teaching which are provided by HEE or Oxford. This gives 2 points. The following are links for a few teaching courses:
Training the Trainers 2-Day Course provided by HEE. It’s a free course but unfortunately has a long waitlist.
ONLINE Teach the Teacher / Train the Trainer course provided by ISC medical.
Teach the Teacher Course for Doctors provided by Oxford medical training.
2. Audits and quality improvement projects (QIP)
Try to do clinical audits on easy topics, so that one cycle can be finished in a few months. Re-audit to make it a quality improvement project (QIP). Doing two cycles will give 6 points and 3 cycles will give 8 points. This link will provide you with a good idea about how to do a QIP.
3. Presentations
Verbal or poster presentation - this can be done in local teaching within the trust or national meeting. You can get a certificate signed by a consultant and can be used as evidence.
Planning
Before planning your application make sure why you want to pursue IMT and work towards it.
1. Make an account on the ORIEL website.
2. Applications open usually in November - December every year for round one. Please check the ORIEL website for further updates on application opening as dates vary slightly every year.
3. Have a look at IMT application scoring before start collecting evidence documents. Please follow this link to the website which gives a clear idea about application scoring. This should be self-explanatory.
4. Specialty training application planning needs good focus and a clear idea. It cannot be achieved overnight. It needs steady and consistent hard work. This can be started within a few months of joining an NHS job. Talk to colleagues planning for the same training. A good discussion can help you to do things in an effective manner.
5. Before planning your application make sure why you want to pursue IMT and work towards it.
If you have any questions about the medical training application process, I would be happy to answer them on trewlink.com.
Good luck,
Dr Deepthi