RCPCH Progress+ curriculum and syllabi

RCPCH Progress+ is the curriculum for use by doctors undertaking postgraduate paediatric training in the UK, ensuring they develop their knowledge and skills across all key practice areas. Read more and download the full curriculum and generic syllabi for the two paediatric training levels - core and specialty.

About

As of 1 August 2023, RCPCH Progress+ is the curriculum for use by paediatric trainees in the UK. The curriculum and the syllabi were developed in consultation with trainees, consultants, children and young people, parents and carers, employers and other professionals, and help ensure trainees develop the full range of skills and knowledge that are required in their day-to-day work and to progressing to a specialist consultant post.

The curriculum

There are 11 curriculum domains, such as procedures, communication, leadership and team working.

There is a learning outcome for each domain and for each training level. This states the standard the trainee must meet to progress satisfactorily. It capture the skills, knowledge and behaviours required, including the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Generic Professional Capabilities for all doctors in training.

To gain access to the next level of the curriculum, you need to go through a progression point (Specialty Training 4, or ST4, and ST5). If you wish to start documenting evidence against the higher level before completing the previous level, speak with your educational supervisor.

There are a small number of key capabilities for each learning outcome, which trainees must evidence. These help ensure that the judgments made are consistent, fair and transparent.

Download the curriculum

The syllabi

There are generic syllabi for core and specialty training levels. There are also syllabi for general paediatrics and paediatric sub-specialties at specialty level.

The syllabi provide further requirements and guidance on how to demonstrate satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes. They are flexible, allowing trainees to apply the curriculum to the context in which they are working. The emphasis is on quality rather than quantity of evidence.

There are illustrations for each learning outcome. These are examples of evidence that trainees may use to demonstrate their achievement of the outcome. You do not need to do any specific illustrations - they are simply there as prompts - and you may use other evidence.

There is an assessment grid, which suggests the assessment tools that may be used to evidence each key capability.

Download the generic syllabus for core training

Download for generic syllabus for specialty training

See syllabi for general paediatrics and sub-specialties from our sub-specialties page

More information

See FAQs, case studies and other resources on RCPCH Progress+ hub

The Resuscitation Council have helpfully mapped the their courses to the Progress+ curriculum. Check the curriculum map section of each course to find out which key capabilities they can be used for, or visit the links below.

If you have any questions, contact us on RCPCH Help Centre.