Postgraduate training

This section is intended as a resource that contains guidelines and information that is useful to those who are interested in developing a career in paediatrics, those who are already in training and for those who support trainees as they progress.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is responsible for the monitoring of postgraduate specialty training in paediatrics in the UK. It sets and maintains standards of training and assessment in General Paediatrics and its 17 approved sub-specialties, in accordance with the requirements set by the General Medical Council (GMC). It does this by:

• Developing curricula and related assessment strategies and tools for general paediatrics and sub-specialties.
• Providing advice to deaneries on the quality management of training as part of the GMC's Quality Framework.
• Recording and monitoring trainees' progress through their specialty training and making recommendations to the GMC for the award of the certificate of completion of training (CCT) and the certificate of eligibility for specialist registration - combined programme (CESR (CP)) for trainees.

The RCPCH also evaluates applications for certificates of eligibility for specialist registration (CESR), making recommendations to the GMC for those paediatricians who wish to practice as a consultant but have completed training or gained equivalent experience outside of a UK approved training programme.

You can download a PDF version: UK Trainees Welcome Pack September 2011 (PDF, 193KB) or float your cursor over the image below and click on 'expand':

It is mandatory for all StR (run through) trainees to be registered with the RCPCH so that trainees can be given access to ePortfolio and ASSET (Assessment Services for Education and Training).These tools are integral to paediatric specialty training and trainees are unable to progress with out them. Those trainees who are SpR (Calman Trainees) are encouraged to register with the College regardless if they are using our systems or not.

The RCPCH also has a proactive Trainees' Committee and for details on whom your trainee representatives are (at least one per deanery) and what they are currently doing to ensure that the voice of trainee paediatricians is being heard both in the College and beyond visit the Trainees' Committee page.

If you are unable to find the information that you are looking for then please contact the Education and Training Support Team: training.enquiries@rcpch.ac.uk

Trainees with questions about revalidation should in the first instance contact their deanery/LETB or equivalent organisation. General guidance on revalidation is also available on the RCPCH revalidation website.