Stage 1 training

What

Stage 1 is the first 3 years of the anaesthetics training programme, from CT1 to CT3. Stage 1 is commenced on successful recruitment to core training.

Please ensure you register with College before commencing core training.

Your training during this period will be designed in order that you will be able to demonstrate meeting the learning outcomes for all domains  for stage 1.

Find out more about the structure of the 2021 curriculum here.

For more detailed reading you can review the full curriculum here.

Anaesthetists in the ACCS programme should visit the ACCS website for guidance, until completing the ACCS curriculum [external link].

Why

In order to provide high-quality anaesthesia, critical care and pain medicine, the aspiring anaesthetist must develop wide-ranging knowledge, be proficient in a number of technical and nontechnical skills, and must understand how to best apply these abilities safely in different contexts.

Read about the philosophy that underpins the 2021 curriculum.

How

Progress on your journey to  completing stage 1 and anaesthetic training overall is based on evidence that demonstrates your learning, reflection, and progress.

Read about how assessments work in anaesthetic training.

Information on the specific requirements for each year and stage 1 overall can be found below.

For anaesthetists (including ACCS trainees) working towards completion of the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), in the first 3 to 6 months of anaesthetic training, the College has developed the 'Novice Guide'. This is comprehensive document that covers all aspects of starting anaesthetic training from the curriculum, to clinical practice, to useful resources.

You can access the Novice Guide here.

Anaesthetists in the ACCS programme should visit the ACCS website for guidance, until completing the ACCS curriculum [external link].

The anaesthetists must receive an appropriate outcome at their ARCP at the end of CT1. Please note that this is determined by the local ARCP panel.

To do this an anaesthetist should have:

1. been awarded the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC)
2. made progress progress with stage 1 curriculum key capabilities across a number of both generic professional and specialty specific domains. Click here to review the stage 1 learning syllabus.
   
   IE some evidence in terms of:
   1. supervised learning events (ACEX, ALMAT, A-QIPAT, CBD, DOPs) to the suggested level of supervision
   2. personal activities
   3. personal reflections
3. completed a multiple trainer report (in addition to one for the IAC)
4. completed a satisfactory multi-source feedback
5. completed an Educational Supervisors Structured Report; this should be submitted to an Educational Supervisor 2 weeks in advance of the ARCP. 

The anaesthetists must receive an appropriate outcome at their ARCP at the end of CT2. Please note that this is determined by the local ARCP panel.

To do this an anaesthetist should have:

1. made further progress with stage 1 curriculum capabilities across a number of both generic professional and specialty specific domains. Click here to review the stage 1 learning syllabus.
   
   IE evidence in terms of:
   1. supervised learning events (ACEX, ALMAT, A-QIPAT, CBD, DOPs) to the suggested level of supervision
   2. personal activities
   3. personal reflections
   4. it may be possible that some suitable Holistic Assessment of Learning Outcome (HALO) forms are created and approved at this point eg, procedural sedation or some of the generic professional domains
2. completed a multiple trainer report
3. completed a satisfactory multi-source feedback
4. completed an Educational Supervisors Structured Report; this should be submitted to an Educational Supervisor 2 weeks in advance of the ARCP.

The anaesthetists must receive an appropriate outcome at their ARCP at the end of CT3. Please note that this is determined by the local ARCP panel.

To do this an anaesthetist should have:

1. completed a stage 1 training certificate and had it signed by their Regional Advisor (Anaesthesia), or Deputy Regional Adviser (Anaesthesia), and one other designated trainer. 
   
   To get the stage 1 certificate signed off anaesthetists will need to:
   1. demonstrate meeting the stage 1 learning outcomes for all 14 domains in the curriculum by getting approval for all stage 1 HALOs. Click here to review the stage 1 learning syllabus. 
      
      Completion of a HALO requires the following evidence:
      1. supervised learning events (ACEX, ALMAT, A-QIPAT, CBD, DOPs) to the suggested level of supervision
      2. personal activities
      3. personal reflections
      4. multiple trainer report(s) that provide some feedback against all 14 domains of learning between them ie you do not need to complete a separate MTR for each HALO
   2. passed the FRCA Primary exams (MCQ, and OSCE & SOE)
   3. attained the Initial Assessment of Competence
   4. attained the Initial Assessment of Competence in Obstetric Anaesthesia
2. completed a satisfactory multi-source feedback
3. completed an Educational Supervisors Structured Report; this should be submitted to an Educational Supervisor 2 weeks in advance of the ARCP.

Stage 1 top-up

Anaesthetists who have completed core training under the 2010 curriculum and been awarded a Core (or Basic) Level Training Certificate, or have been awarded Confirmation of Core Level Equivalence, can work towards a EQ1 certificate (also known a stage 1 or CT3 top-up).

The guidance for the Stage 1 top up training can be found here.

There is also CT3 equivalent posts guidance for Clinical Directors here.

Confirmation of stage 1 

Anaesthetists based in the UK or overseas who may have previously undertaken some anaesthetic training (either in the UK or overseas) should follow the process to be awarded the Confirmation of Stage 1 Equivalence Certificate.

Counting experience from outside the training programme towards a CCT

Anaesthetists joining the training programme may be able to have some of their prior UK experience count towards their CCT.

The process for counting experience prior to entry into a CCT training programme in Anaesthetics can be found here.