Internal medicine training (IMT) is the primary entry point and initial stage of training for those trainees who wish to follow a career in medical specialties.
Internal medicine stage 1 curriculum
IMT follows on from completion of the foundation programme, and trainees will develop competence to meet the internal medicine stage 1 curriculum. The IMT programme is three years, although trainees will be eligible to apply for a number of specialties after completion of the second year; the JRCPTB website has information about the specialties which fall into this category.
Training will involve a number of different posts - typically either four or six months in duration - labelled 'rotations'.
Exposure will be given to a wide range of medical specialties, acute medicine, and the workings of differently-sized and structured hospitals and trusts. IMT will prepare doctors to become a medical registrar and provide them with the skills needed to manage patients presenting with a wide range of general medical symptoms and conditions. Experience in intensive care medicine, geriatric medicine and outpatients will be mandated and trainees will receive simulation training throughout the programme.
Trainees will work with and for a much greater variety of colleagues and patients from different backgrounds and with disparate levels of experience; plus the opportunity to become much more involved in medical teaching and training.
Post-IMT progression
Upon successful completion, trainees will be able to access a huge range of possible CCTs (Certificates of Completion of Training) and careers in areas of medicine such as cardiology, endocrinology/diabetes, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, renal medicine and many others.
As noted above, there will be opportunity for those wishing to progress in some specialties to exit after the second year of IMT; although they would not be eligible to apply for specialties requiring the full three years without further training and development of competence.
For more information on the specialties which can be accessed via IMT and the training pathways, please visit the JRCPTB website.