School of Anaesthesia & ICM

The School of Anaesthesia at Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education aims to offer high quality training in Anaesthesia in a popular and picturesque part of the country. The hospitals offering training are based in Barnstaple, Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton, Torbay and Truro.

Core Training - Role Description

Higher Specialty Training - Role Description

The training programme is competency based over a seven year programme, after which a CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training) is awarded, subject to satisfactory progress and assessments. It is divided into 3 principal sections:

Basic Core Specialist Training (CT 1/2/3)

Candidates who are successful at interview will be offered a post at one of the hospitals in the Peninsula. They may spend two years in the same hospital, and their third year in a different hospital. They start with a three month period of directly supervised work. After passing an initial test of competency, Doctors in Training join the on call rota and work under close supervision.  Further competencies will then be gained in anaesthesia for various surgical specialities. During this time, three months of Intensive Care Medicine training will be provided, and modules of obstetric anaesthesia will be undertaken. Doctors in Training must pass the Primary FRCA examination to be eligible for entry into the ST4 year.

Many Doctors in Training elect to undergo ACCS training, which takes an extra year. Although linked to a parent speciality, they spend two years doing 6 months attachments in each of the following specialities - Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Acute Medicine. The third and fourth years are spent purely in the parent speciality.

Intermediate Specialist Training (ST 4/5)

Anaesthesia has now “uncoupled” from run through training. Doctors in Training are required to submit a competitive application to continue further CCT training. Once appointed, more senior training is provided. Doctors in Training will rotate to Derriford Hospital and receive modular training in various sub-specialities, including cardiac and neuro anaesthesia.  A further three month block of intensive care will be undertaken. The final FRCA examination needs to be passed during this period.

Advanced Specialist Training (ST 6/7)

Additional clinical responsibilities are taken on, which include the supervision of more junior colleagues. The development of an area of special interest is encouraged, and advanced training modules exist in many specialist areas, including Intensive Care Medicine. The development of teaching, audit, research and management skills are all important during this time. Subject to the necessary approval, there is an opportunity to work outside the programme for up to a year, either in the UK or abroad, although the final 6 months of training must be undertaken in the UK.

The policy for Out of Programme is available here.