Further to the Physician Specialty Recruitment Office's (PSRO) recent news item about the alternative certificate for entry into Group 1 higher medical specialties at ST4-level from 2022, they are pleased to confirm that the certificate has been agreed and is available to download from the PRSO Document Library .
The certificate only applies to 2022 recruitment and is being published early to guide prospective trainees who are considering using alternative experience to demonstrate completion of the Internal Medicine Training stage 1 (IMS1) curriculum and readiness for ST4 recruitment. Trainees using the alternative certificate can attach it to their application when they apply for 2022 recruitment and this does not need to be submitted in advance.
While the preferred entry pathway is completion of IMS1, or a standalone Internal Medicine Year 3 (IMY3) post in the case of previous CMT or ACCS – acute medicine trainees, changes to the rules regarding progression to CCT mean that trainees may now enter higher specialty training by using an Alternative Certificate and be awarded a CCT on successful completion of their higher-specialty training programme.
Please note the following:
- Trainees considering applying at ST3 level in 2021 can continue to use the existing certificate. A 2021 version has not yet been published but it will be very similar to recent years, and previous versions will continue to be accepted, provided the requirements for when you worked with the signatory are met.
- A separate certificate for Group 2 specialties at ST3 level from 2022 will be produced, although the Group 1 specialty version will be acceptable for Group 2 specialties.
- The alternative certificate should not be used by existing IMT trainees as an alternative to completing the IMT programme.