Transition to the new Respiratory / Internal Medicine curricula

The new curriculums for respiratory and general internal medicine are starting in August 2022, to coincide with the end of the first year of IMT3. There is a lot of information available about this on the JRCPTB website, including on the JRCPTB transition page here.

Everyone will be expected to transition to the new curriculum except those in ST7 in August 2022. The expectation is that this should happen at the first rotation point after that, i.e. October 2022 for most London trainees. At that point everyone should perform a gap analysis (form available on eportfolio) with their educational supervisor to credit current training onto new portfolio, and identify current learning needs.

There may also be some exceptions for current dual Respiratory/ICM trainees – contact your TPD!

A summary of the recent curriculum meeting hosted by the JRCPTB (courtesy of David Hobden) and answers to some FAQs from the TPDs are below.

Summary of curriculum meeting

New curriculum based on Competencies in Practice (CiPs)

3 types – generic, internal medicine and respiratory, about 8 in each 

The overall aim of this is to be less tick box and more based on global assessment of individual 

There will be a target to see 750 general patients over Internal Medicine Stage 2 

• 3 months unselected take or 1 month in acute medicine in final year 

The main additional requirement for current trainees will be to undertake 20 clinics in a medical speciality other than parent one over 4 years 

• this will include SDEC/ambulatory clinics (1 full day = 2 clinics) 
• no reductions for those who are already part way through training (e.g. even ST6s transitioning with just over a year to go)
• educational supervisor for internal medicine in addition to parent speciality

Single CCT in respiratory medicine will no longer be available (it was very rare previously anyway). However triple accreditation with Respiratory/GIM/ICM will now be possible.

Same eportfolio platform (NHS Eportfolios) but with new forms.

Trainees will not be required to re link of transfer evidence – thank goodness!

FAQs

1. Can we take study leave to attend clinics in other specialties?
   It should be a part of the normal working week/month, suggest swapping with SpRs from other specialties. But flexibility may be allowed.
2. Is the clinic requirement yearly weighted i.e. can it be 5 a year across the now 4 years (will this be taken into account for those switching later to the new curriculum)?
   It is not meant to be an annual requirement, i.e. should be total of 20 in 4 years regardless of when they are done. It is important for people to start doing them ASAP. Note that ambulatory medicine unit sessions count (if people spend say 1 hour a week in the ambulatory unit, then the totals should be added up).
3. We need an educational supervisor for GIM going forward – is this something we will look to find ourselves?
   This is actually the same as it is now. Almost all Respiratory physicians are able to be IM ESs too.
4. It states those in final year don’t need to transition – does this apply to those in OOPs i.e. if they return with less than a year to go, what happens to them?
   If they return with < 1 year left, they might be allowed to stay on the old curriculum at the discretion of the Post Graduate Dean.
5. Will LTFT become more competency based rather than duration based?
   Theoretically it is already. It is just that it is unusual for people to achieve the required level if they have not spent 4 years (WTE) in specialist training (3.5 years if you exclude the ITU post – which we will need to review).