Novice Guide

It can be very daunting starting a new job in a new specialty and working environment. This timeline will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect, and what to aim for – and help make the process as smooth as possible. It’s important to remember that your experience may differ and this is a rough guide. 

Before you start

• Register for stage 1 training with the Royal College of Anaesthetists
• Activate and configure your Lifelong Learning platform (LLP) account. 
  Details of the LLP will be sent to you by email once you have registered with the RCoA, but more information can be found here
• Register for e-LA (e-Learning Anaesthesia)
  This resource is hosted on the NHS e-Learning for health platform. Head to the e-learning section of this guide for more information.
• Make contact with your new department.
  They will send you information about the hospital and the induction programme. 

Day one

• Get in early and find the anaesthetic department! 
• Your departmental induction programme should include: 
  • a tour around theatres 
  • where to get changed 
  • how to get a locker & some theatre shoes 
  • important door codes & phone numbers 
  • information about your rota 
  • how to find your theatre lists.
• You should also meet, or find out about the following people: 
  • your college tutor 
  • your educational supervisor 
  • the rota organiser 
  • the departmental admin team.

Week one

By the end of week one you should: 

• know your way around the operating theatres 

• have pre-assessed some patients 

• be able to prepare commonly used drugs 

• have taken steps to arrange your first meeting with your educational supervisor 

• have started utilising a logbook to record your cases 

• have started thinking about the LLP and the evidence you need to complete the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) & initial assessment of competence (IAC)

• have explored  module-1 on the e-LA platform.

Three to six months

By this stage in your training you should: 

• have completed your IAC on the LLP 

• start to feel more proficient in anaesthetising ASA I-II patients for common elective and urgent/emergency procedures 

• start on call duties if novices contribute to this in your department

• be more familiar with the LLP.

Six months

By now you should: 

• have completed your IAC 

• be on the on-call rota 

• have completed an appropriate number of SLEs & gathered other evidence towards a variety of stage 1 learning outcomes 

• review the stage 1 requirements in the curriculum and LLP. 

The years beyond… 

Further targets include:  

• Initial Assessment of Competence in Obstetric Anaesthesia (IACOA), comprised of EPAs 3 and 4 

• Primary FRCA exam 

• completion of all stage 1 training HALOs and the Stage 1 training certificate 

• applying for a ST4 post.