Content on this page is intended for both Trainees and Trainers and is produced by RCEM’s Training Standards Committee.
Content on this page is produced by RCEM’s Training Standards Committee (TSC). TSC has responsibility for translating the Royal College’s aims for specialty training in EM into working systems throughout the UK.
Underpinning RCEM’s Training Standards is Promoting Excellence in Emergency Medicine Training This document provides recommendations which outline RCEM’s approach to improving its standards for medical education and training.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is committed to fairer training cultures for all. As part of this commitment the Training Standards Committee (TSC) Quality Lead and Head of Training have reviewed the ARCP outcome data for EM trainees for the time period April 2023 – April 2024. The ARCP outcomes have been reviewed against self-reported demographic data on protected characteristics. We have focused on intersectionality rather than singular protected characteristics to ensure a more meaningful review of the data.
The college is sharing this early initial data recognising that its contents indicate that we have more work to do to create a fairer training culture for all. Following the publication of this report the College will progress work on more cross-sectional analysis of this data, as well as comparisons to Exam performance.
RCEM is committed to supporting all our members and ensuring the highest standard of patient care through ongoing education and training.
ARCP Outcomes broken down by characteristics
The findings of this report highlight that while there is a statistically significant but weak relationship between ARCP outcomes and trainee characteristics across gender, ethnicity, PMQ, and English as a first language, any disparity is unacceptable. As a College, we are committed to playing our part in reducing these differences to zero. We will continue to foster a fair and inclusive training culture.
Romana Moss, Director of Education RCEM
The first step in solving a problem is to describe it accurately. This is a welcome development from RCEM, which shows courage to examine and address structural inequalities found throughout society but expressed in Emergency Medicine. The commitment to a truly equitable training culture and environment is a process which will reveal more challenges as it is examined more closely. This is not easy work to do but will result in true growth and a fairer training culture for all involved in the process.
Dr David Chung, Co-Chair of the RCEM EDI Committee
Guidance on the duration of training for Postgraduate Doctors in Training HoSs / TPDs / Specialty Tutors / ES’s can be accessed here: RCEM TSC Guidance for training faculties final update January 2024 (PDF)
A framework for Paediatric Medicine Training and assessment in ST4-6 (PDF)
The Committee has produced revised recommendations for Educational Development Time
Counting clinical time for EM trainees on OOPR (including higher degree/research fellows)
See the Training Standards Committee recommendations.
The Committee advises that:
The National Association of Clinical Tutors (NACT) has produced a Specialty/College Tutor job description as an appendix to their “Faculty Guide: the Workplace Environment in Postgraduate Medical Training October 2013”.
Counting clinical time for EM trainees on OOPR (including higher degree/research fellows)
Training Standards Committee recommendations can be found here.
Level of Evidence form for CESR-CP
The Committee has produced a Level of Evidence form as a guide for those wishing to enter EM training at a level higher than ST/CT1 by having non-GMC-approved training and experience counted on the CESR-CP (Combined Programme) route. Evidence at levels 1 and 2 is required at recruitment interviews.
The committee has released its position on reducing training time for EM Trainees.
See the document: TSC position on early CCT
