23 February 2026
Following the publication of the RCEM Position Statement on Training Hours, the College has now released detailed guidance to support consistent application of the principle that RCEM defines ‘full-time’ training in Emergency Medicine as 40-hours a week.
This new Defining Full Time Training guidance aims to provide clarity, fairness, and consistency in how training time is understood and applied across the four nations. It supports trainees, supervisors, and deanery staff in managing training progression and calculating Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) dates.
This guidance clarifies that RCEM’s role is to determine the time in training required to achieve the capabilities described in the RCEM curriculum and CCT. The College does not determine contractual employment conditions, rotas, or pay. NHS employers remain responsible for managing contractual working hours.