Accident & Emergency Medicine (A&E) is probably the most rapidly developing and exciting new specialty that has come onto the British Medical scene. Entry into the Specialist Registrar Training programmes has become very competitive as it is very popular amongst new trainees. Typically a trainee spends 2-3 years as a SHO in a variety of specialties of which it is recommended that at least a year should be in A&E.
Entry to the SpR programme requires a higher diploma such as FRCSEd(A&E), FRCS, MRCS, MRCP or FRCA. Courses such as ATLS, APLS and ALS are deemed desirable. The SpR training lasts for upto five years and leads to the awarding of the Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST). The overall training is supervised by the Joint Committee for Higher Training (JCHTA&E). This specialty is one of the few who have an exit exam namely the FFAEM (Fellow Faculty of Accident & Emergency Medicine). This exit exam is designed to look not only at clinical acumen but also critical topic reviews and critical appraisal skills along with management ability.
Further information regarding the speciality and its exams is available from:
FRCSEd(A&E) / AFRCSEd(A&E)
Examinations Department
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Nicholson St.
Edinburgh. EH8 9DW
Tel: 0131 527 1600
http:// www.rcsed.ac.uk
FFAEM
Faculty of Accident & Emergency Medicine
The Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields,
London. WC2A 3PN
Tel: 0207 405 7071
FAEM @ Compuserve.com
General Advice Regarding A&E as a career option
British Association for A & E Medicine
At The Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields,
London. WC2A 3PN
Tel: 0207 831 9405
BAEM 1 @ compuserve. Com
www.baem.org.uk