Dear Editor,
Like many others, this article makes the mistaken assumption that
medical career and training in UK is facilitated only by the official
"RCPCH approved" training pathways. It totally ignores the aspirations and
career plans of the huge workforce of doctors who are employed in so
called non-training posts. In many places they equal or at times outnumber
the Training grades.
Perhaps it is time for all concerned, including the RCPCH, to
reflect on the fact that approval of training is not necessarily a matter
of funding. Many Staff Grade doctors put in sterling performances, yet, due
to a traditional dichotmy are never considered to be in "training" when
compared to the Training SPRs.
Article 14 offers some hope for some of these doctors who have long
years of experience, but those at a much more junior level, the current
changes will only add to the sense of being "left out" of the game. I find
it really surprising that educators who spent their entire life designing
new theories of training and multi-source feedback hasnt given any
thought to designing a uniform career pathway for all concerned.
Perhaps it is no surprise that the majority of these "non-training"
posts are occupied by overseas doctors. With the implementation of MMC and
EWTD, the delienation between training posts and service posts will become
all the more obvious. Whether this is to the ultimate good of the staff
morale, the NHS and the patients is anybody's guess.
Dear Editor,
Like many others, this article makes the mistaken assumption that medical career and training in UK is facilitated only by the official "RCPCH approved" training pathways. It totally ignores the aspirations and career plans of the huge workforce of doctors who are employed in so called non-training posts. In many places they equal or at times outnumber the Training grades.
Perhaps it is time for all concerned, including the RCPCH, to reflect on the fact that approval of training is not necessarily a matter of funding. Many Staff Grade doctors put in sterling performances, yet, due to a traditional dichotmy are never considered to be in "training" when compared to the Training SPRs.
Article 14 offers some hope for some of these doctors who have long years of experience, but those at a much more junior level, the current changes will only add to the sense of being "left out" of the game. I find it really surprising that educators who spent their entire life designing new theories of training and multi-source feedback hasnt given any thought to designing a uniform career pathway for all concerned.
Perhaps it is no surprise that the majority of these "non-training" posts are occupied by overseas doctors. With the implementation of MMC and EWTD, the delienation between training posts and service posts will become all the more obvious. Whether this is to the ultimate good of the staff morale, the NHS and the patients is anybody's guess.