Recommended undergraduate paediatric curriculum

Doctors at all levels come across children and families in their work, and it's essential that newly qualified doctors can effectively interact with, assess and care for babies, children and young people. This curriculum provides Medical Schools with a framework and recommended learning outcomes to set the standard for undergraduate paediatric training, and is for use as of September 2023.

It identifies the knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviours in child health that we think should be covered during the undergraduate medical course.

Building on the strengths of our 2015 curriculum for undergraduates, we developed this version in consultation with medical schools, foundation students and children and young people.

The best doctor is someone like you, kind, funny, happy and listens to me and my family.

Young person through the RCPCH &Us programme 

This document aligns with our curriculum for specialty training in paediatrics, RCPCH Progress+, as well as the General Medical Council's Outcomes for Graduates, Good Medical Practice and thus the upcoming Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA).

Also available is a user guide, which explains the structure of the curriculum and clarifies expectations about its use.

I am delighted that the new RCPCH undergraduate curriculum continues to reflect the way that children actually present to health services, rather than giving medical students a long list of conditions to learn.

Dr Alex Brightwell, Consultant Paediatrician and Module Lead for Paediatrics, Norwich Medical School