The Federation of Royal Colleges of the UK is delighted to announce that the new Internal Medicine (IM) stage 1 curriculum has been approved by the General Medical Council (GMC). 

We were commended for the breadth of consultation undertaken and aligning the curriculum and future training model to strategic workforce needs, including the Shape of Training principles.

This new curriculum focuses on learning outcomes through the achievement of capabilities in practice (CiPs) and generic professional capabilities (GPCs), successfully moving away from the often criticised ‘tick box’ approach for previous curricula. It will produce doctors with the skills needed to manage patients presenting with a wide range of general medical symptoms and conditions. They will be entrusted to undertake the role of the medical registrar in NHS district general and teaching hospitals and prepared for the next stage of higher specialty training.

IM stage 1 training is a three-year programme and will replace core medical training (CMT) from August 2019. We will be working closely with heads of schools, training programme directors and trainee committees and groups to support the implementation of the new curriculum. We are also working with other colleges to ensure the ACCS-Acute Medicine curriculum is updated to reflect the new programme.

Professor David Black, JRCPTB Medical Director, said:

‘This represents the culmination of a three year work programme that included wide consultation and engagement with heads of schools, the CMT and specialty advisory committees, trainees committees of the three Royal Colleges of Physicians, lay representatives and patients. Their feedback was integral to the final version of the curriculum that was submitted to the GMC.’

Dr Colin Melville, GMC Director of Education and Standards said:

We’re delighted to approve the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board curriculum in line with our new standards, Excellence By Design. Our new standards support greater flexibility in postgraduate training, and require curricula to be more responsive to health service and patient needs. This approval recognises that the JRCPTB has put the Shape of Training recommendations and the changing needs of doctors and patients firmly at the heart of their programme.’

Dr Alastair Miller, JRCPTB Deputy Medical Director and chair of the Internal Medicine Committee, said:

‘It has been a pleasure and privilege to chair the Internal Medicine Committee that oversaw the development of this curriculum over the last two years or so. It has been an amazing collaborative exercise and our colleagues, partners and stakeholders have been fantastically positive and a joy to work with.’

For further information on the IM stage 1 curriculum visit the JRCPTB website.

For further comment please contact Gareth Bland, head of communications, Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK Gareth.bland@jrcptb.org.uk