ST3 Ophthalmology Recruitment at a glance

Welcome to ST3 Ophthalmology  recruitment at the North Western Deanery

Please scroll down the page or click on one of the links below to find out about ST3 Ophthalmology recruitment and training in the North Western Deanery.

Recruitment Information | Recruitment Timetable | Programme Information | Employment Information

Last Reviewed: 5th August 2013

Hospital sites for Ophthalmology:

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Ophthalmology Programme details

Last Reviewed: November 2010

Please note these programme details cover ST1- ST7 Ophthalmology. ST1 and ST2 details are provided for information only. The successful applicant will enter training at ST3 level.

1. Aims of the Training Programme

The broad purposes of the programme are to provide the highest achievable standard of Ophthalmology Specialist Training (OST) and to prepare the Trainees for the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Ophthalmology and for Consultant appointment thereafter.

2. Objectives of the Training Programme

Through cooperation and coordination between the Programme Director, College Tutors and Consultant Trainers, the intended achievements of the programme are:

a. to have met the OST training standards and curricular requirements published by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists

b. to have ensured that all the trainees on the programme have equally broad and balanced training opportunities

c. to have ensured that all trainees have successfully completed their learning outcomes as identified in the new curriculum, and assessments resulting in the award of the Final Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists

d. to have identified, encouraged and supported those trainees with special needs who require to undertake remedial training and to have facilitated the future personal development of all trainees

e. to have provided, in addition to the core programme, opportunities for advanced subspecialty training including during Clinical Fellowships

f. to have managed the programme flexibly in order to facilitate out-of-programme experiences, for example, in research.

General Description of Rotation

1. General Description:

PMETB have established generic standards of training for specialist training
programmes, and the North-West OST programme conforms to these standards.

Domain 1: Patient Safety
Domain 2: Quality Assurance, Review and Evaluation
Domain 3: Equality, Diversity and Opportunity
Domain 4: Recruitment, selection and appointment
Domain 5: Delivery of curriculum including assessment
Domain 6: Support and development of trainees, trainers and local faculty
Domain 7: Management of Education and Training
Domain 8: Educational resources and capacity
Domain 9: Outcomes

Basic specialist training occurs during Years 1 and 2 and higher specialist training occurs during Years 3 to 7 and more focused Selected Components may occur in Year 6 or 7.

OST Years 1 and 2
An induction programme will take place at the start of OST. Further induction will occur at the start of different placements. Doctors entering OST will have closely supervised training in basic examination methods and techniques and the management of general outpatients and accident and emergency ophthalmic patients and in surgery. There will be opportunities to attend special clinics and for exposure to the common subspecialties particularly in the second year of OST. Individual programmes will have no more than 8 clinical sessions during this period.

OST Years 3 to 7
The detailed learning outcomes for these years are set out in the programme and trainees will have access to training in the 7 main ophthalmic subspecialties
which underpin the curriculum and to teaching in ocular pathology

1. Oculoplastic, Adnexal and Lacrimal Surgery
2. Cornea and External Diseases
3. Cataract and Refractive Surgery
4. Glaucoma
5. Retina, Vitreous and Uvea
6. Neuro-Ophthalmology
7. Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Individual timetables will contain up to 7 clinical sessions with a balance of general and sub-specialty outpatients and theatre work. Some emergency and on-call work will be included.
Trainee Selected Components (TSCs Years 6 and 7)
These are designed to provide in depth experience in a generic specialty important to ophthalmology or a sub-specialty of ophthalmology and will normally be for a period of 6 months towards the end of the rotation.

2. Placements

Placement allocations will be made for one year for OST 1 and 2 to a particular hospital though the timetable may change during that time period to offer appropriate exposure to the initial competencies required for the curriculum. These placements may be at the teaching hospital (Manchester Royal Eye Hospital) or one of the district general hospital units.

OST 3 to 7 trainees will normally undertake 6 month placements. Overall trainees will have a number of placements to ensure a balance of training between the main teaching hospital and district general hospitals in the region approved for training, with at least 3 years spent at the MREH and 18 months at the district general hospital units.

Recommendations for placements are made by the programme director taking into account assessments of the trainees' progress at ARCPs and particular needs of the trainees. These are normally published at least 3 months in advance with TSCs arranged with at least 6 months notice if possible.

Flexible training needs can be accommodated throughout the programme. If successful at competitive interview, suitable placements will be organised by the Programme Director who will ensure a similar breadth and balance of training, including DGH attachments, as for full-time trainees.

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

Each Sub-Specialty Training Unit (SSTU) in the Royal Eye Hospital comprises a minimum of two Consultants who have responsibility for training a variety of staff including an OST Year 1 or 2 trainee and up to 4 OST Year 3 to 7 trainees (possibly including a senior trainee undertaking a TSC), and possibly including Clinical Fellows. The SSTUs are currently organised as follows:

* external diseases and cornea (EDC)
* oculoplastic and adnexal (OPA)
* glaucoma (GL)
* Paediatrics, motility and neuro-ophthalmology (PMN)
* retina, vitreous and uveitis (RVU)

District Hospital Training Units (DHTU)

Each DHTU comprises a minimum of three Consultants, together with other supporting staff, and with a designated College Tutor. Each DHTU provides 6 months of training for a Specialist Trainee in Year 3 to 7 of the Programme; Stepping Hill Hospital, Royal Bolton Hospital, Royal Preston Hospital, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Burnley General Hospital, Royal Blackburn Hospital. Further information on individual DHTUs is available below. OST year 1 and 2 trainees may be placed at Royal Bolton Hospital, Royal Preston Hospital, or Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

3. Specialty Training Committee (STC)

The composition of the STC in Ophthalmology in the North West Deanery is as follows:

* the Postgraduate Dean or Associate Postgraduate Dean
* the Director of the Postgraduate Ophthalmic Training Programme (Programme Director)
* the Royal College Regional Adviser
* the Royal College Regional Representative
* two Trainee Representatives
* College Tutors and Co-tutors for all training units in the Deanery

The roles of the STC include:

* provision of a forum for planning and monitoring training placements (including receipt of feedback from trainees and ensuring educational approval by the College)
* appointment and annual assessment of trainees through STC Panels
* monitoring the Regional Postgraduate Ophthalmic Teaching Programme (including trainee feedback on the Programme)
* monitoring the availability of, and access of trainees to, study leave (for which the Chairman of the STC holds the budget on behalf of the Postgraduate Dean)

4. Assessment of OST

Annual Specialist Registrar (ARCP) Assessment:

A small panel of STC members undertake annual assessments of OSTs together with those trainees undergoing FTSTAs. There are two diets of assessment for approximately half of the OSTs on the programme at 6-monthly intervals. The composition of the Panel normally comprises; the Chairman of the STC; the Director of the Postgraduate Training Programme; the Royal College Regional Adviser and one or two College Tutors.

The ARCP assessment comprises an interview with the trainee and consideration of:

* the trainee's portfolio detailing competencies assessed throughout their placement, which will also include details of attendance at the teaching programme, study leave report, research and audit undertaken, surgical logbook etc
* a structured questionnaire completed by the Consultant Trainers
* feedback from the OST trainee on the (two) training placements through completion of a  Post Assessment Form

The outcomes of the STC Panel's assessment include:

* feedback to the trainee on training progress
* completion of the Annual Review of Competence Progression (to be sent to the Training Committee in the College)
* assimilation of documentation into the training record folder of the trainee held in the Deanery
* planning for future participation in the programme
* review and appeals procedures in case of unsatisfactory progress

Trainee Appraisal

In addition to formal annual assessment, there is a complimentary process of trainee appraisal by an educational adviser (e.g. College Tutor) which differs from the assessment procedure in being confidential, focused on the particular needs of the trainee and taking place more frequently than yearly.

Educational Opportunities

Postgraduate Ophthalmic Teaching Programme

Attendance of trainees at the regular Wednesday afternoon Regional Postgraduate Ophthalmic Teaching Programme is mandatory. Meetings are held mainly in the Manchester Postgraduate Health Sciences Centre, but also annually in each DHTU together with combined Liverpool/Manchester meetings and clinical audit meetings. Attendance at (and participation in) the Teaching Programme is a pre-requisite to the award of other study leave. The Teaching Programme is supplemented by Trust grand rounds, resuscitation training, journal clubs, interaction with the ocular pathologist and local tutorial sessions in the DHTUs

Informal teaching occurs throughout the training programme.

Attendance is encouraged at appropriate Regional (e.g. North of England Ophthalmological Society), National and International meetings appropriate for the individual trainee. Contributions to meetings as Poster or Oral or Video presentations are also actively encouraged.

An MSc course in Investigative Ophthalmology is taught, under the auspices of the University of Manchester, in the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. This modular course can be undertaken by trainees in the region.

Research/Audit/Teaching

Research opportunities and advice can be obtained in all the hospitals on the rotation. The Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, MREH is an excellent resource and opportunities for clinical and basic science research exist. The Academic Unit is led by

Prof David Henson : Visual Scientist
Prof Paul Bishop : Ophthalmologist ( Macular Disease)
Prof Graeme Black: Ophthalmic Geneticist
Prof Heather Waterman : Ophthalmic Nursing

All OST trainees will have at least one fully protected research session a week. Trainees' research output should be accountable, recorded in their portfolio and will be reviewed during regular deanery ARCP assessments

Audit is very active in all units in the rotation and regional audit meetings are held additionally.

Teaching of undergraduate medical students (Lead: Miss C Fenerty, consultant ophthalmologist MREH) is included in the responsibilities of all OST trainees at times throughout their placements both formally and informally. Additionally there are opportunities to be involved in the teaching and training of optometric undergraduate and postgraduate staff, orthoptists and both student and qualified nursing staff.

Further Links:

www.rcophth.ac.uk