ICM and Physician Triple CCT programmes approved
Since our previous update in May 2021, we have been working hard behind the scenes with the General Medical Council, Health Education England, the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans (COPMeD), Medical and Dental Recruitment and Selection (MDRS), the four Statutory Education Bodies, multiple Specialty Postgraduate Lead Deans and Specialty Advisory Committee Chairs and our respective Training Committees, and we are delighted to announce that we have confirmed support and approval to proceed with the ICM/medical Triple CCT programmes. This vital step safeguards the future of doctors being able to train in Intensive Care Medicine and a defined group of physician specialties. FICM considers physician colleagues to be essential to the work and future of Intensive Care Medicine.
As Internal Medicine Training (IMT) will be fully incorporated into the associated Group 1 medical specialty from August 2022, trainees that successfully complete the triple CCT training programme will gain a CCT in Intensive Care Medicine, Internal Medicine and their chosen medical specialty. The medical specialties that are currently supported by this programme are Acute Internal Medicine, Renal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine.
Physician Intensivists are an essential part of our workforce. We are delighted to finally confirm the triple CCT route for these fantastic trainees. Thank you to all involved in making this happen.
The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine has submitted an amendment to its 2021 curriculum so that it references the new triple CCT programmes. This has already been reviewed and approved by the GMC and will be uploaded to their website in due course. The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board are currently finalising their new curriculum for publication having received GMC approval.
FICM and the JRCPTB will continue to work together over the next few months to finalise the guidance for the triple programmes so that regions and Training Programme Directors know the requirements to be able to deliver them. Doctors appointed to the programme from August 2022 will triple CCT and transition arrangements for those currently in training will be provided.
I am delighted that the collaborative work undertaken with FICM means that physician trainees can extend their capabilities to intensive care. This will help provide an appropriately skilled medical workforce for the future.
The following practical details may be helpful for prospective trainees:
- Some doctors may already be training in one of the specialties and planning to apply for the other in the 2022 recruitment round. Others may be applying for their first specialty.
- Trainees can apply for either the Medical Specialty (for example Respiratory and Internal Medicine) or Intensive Care Medicine first.
- Trainees can then apply for the other specialty in the following recruitment round.
- During the transition period, some trainees in ICM may not have the required experience to apply for HST in medicine, as this now requires completion of IMY3 capabilities. With further lobbying, we have obtained approval for the window of application to the second specialty to be extended to 2 years to allow completion of IMY3 capabilities. These could potentially be completed while within the ICM training scheme but would need to be carefully planned with respective trainers in ICM and medicine.
Both the FICM and JRCPTB wish to thank the GMC for their constructive engagement on this issue.