Acute Medicine

Over the past few years there has been a growing realisation that there is a need for a senior medical presence in Medical Assessment and Admission units (MAUs). This has been manifest by the large number of appointments that have been made to MAUs at Consultant and other levels. However, until a few years ago there had been no formal training structure for those who wish to pursue a career involving a Clinical and Managerial leadership role in an MAU.   As a consequence the JCHMT (the forerunner to JRCPTB) formally established the subspecialty of Acute Medicine.   A sub-specialty does not attract a CCT but grants a sub-specialty entry on a CCT issued in a CCT specialty.   The changes in medical training under the aegis of MMC have given us the opportunity to bring Acute Medicine into the mainstream CCT process.   For legislative reasons it is not possible simply to substitute Acute Medicine for G(I)M so we have created a hybrid title of G(I)M (Acute Medicine).

The curriculum for the specialty of G(I)M (Acute Medicine) that has now been approved by the PMETB has been constructed to take account of the need for specialist MAU physicians and those trainied to participate in the acute take. Trainees wishing to specialise in leading the MAU will be required to complete training all three levels of the curriculum in G(I)M (Acute Medicine).   Those seeking to acquire a CCT in a main specialty but with the relevant competencies to participate in the acute take, will be required to complete training to level 2.  It should be noted that level 2 G(I)M (Acute Medicine) does not generate a CCT.    As a consequence of this change, trainees will fall into two categories.   Firstly those already enrolled in training (SpRs) who will complete training for a CCT in G(I)M with sub-specialty Acute Medicine, and secondly those enrolling in the future (StRs) who will either complete training (level 3) for a CCT in G(I)M (Acute Medicine) destined to lead an MAU or a CCT in another specialty (eg Cardiology) with level 2 G(I)M (Acute Medicine) enabled to participate in, but not lead the MAU.

Due to regular revisions, arising from changes in the training environment and the requirements of the PMETB, the JRCPTB are currently running various curricula for trainees in each specialty. All relevant curricula are listed at the bottom of this page under Documents. Use the filter option on the right-hand side, together with the guidance notes below, to help you select the correct document. In summary:

• if you are on a CMT program you will follow the General Internal  Medicine (Acute) Curricula Level 1 and the Generic Curricula.
• if you are a run-through (Specialty Registrar [StR]) trainee, you will follow the curricula tagged as ST3+ . 
• if you are an ‘old style’ SpR, you are following the curricula tagged as SpR

CMT trainees will follow:

• General Internal Medicine (Acute) Curricula Level 1 
• Generic Curricula for Medical Specialties 2007

Acute Medicine StRs will follow:

• Generic Curricula for Medical Specialties 2007 
• Specialist Training Curriculum