Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 356-357. doi: 10.1192/pb.26.9.356-b
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 356-357
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Training late
Sara Walker, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Mount Gould Hospital, Plymouth
Sir: Leaman and Lyle (Psychiatric Bulletin, June 2002, 26,
233-234) suggest extending the concept of flexible training to include
recognition of well-supervised experience in non-career grades for examination
eligibility. I returned to psychiatric training in the late 1980s, early
1990s. The College allowed me to take the MRCPsych Part 1 examination when I
was working as a clinical assistant, taking into account 8-months' senior
house officer (SHO) experience I had gained 6 years earlier. Encouraged by
passing Part 1 at my first attempt I returned to SHO training on what was then
called the Doctors with Domestic Commitments Scheme. Some years later, when I
came to apply for a consultant post, I know my experience as a clinical
assistant was taken into account by the appropriate committee.
Although training part-time has, I believe, in many ways become easier in
the past 10 years, it seems that the College should be more flexible in
recognising the experience gained in well-supervised, non-career grade posts.
With a large number of consultant psychiatry posts vacant in this country, we
must do all we can to encourage experienced doctors back from the
branch to the mainline of psychiatry, while still maintaining
examination eligibility standards.