West Midlands
Core medical training in the West Midlands
The West Midlands core medical training programme is one of the largest in the UK, with approximately 250 posts available over the two years. Because the Postgraduate School of Medicine covers a wide geographical area, the programme is divided into five training zones:
| Birmingham | University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust |
Mainly urban |
| Black Country | University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust |
Mainly urban |
| Hereford & Worcestershire | Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust |
Mainly rural |
| Staffordshire & Shropshire | University of North Staffordshire NHS Trust Burton Hospitals NHS Trust Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust |
Mixed urban & rural |
| Coventry & Warwickshire | University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust |
Mixed urban & rural |
At appointment trainees will be asked to preference these zones and rotations; trainees would normally be expected to remain in their zone for both years, however they may move between zones for reasons of career or a change in special circumstance by applying to the director of CMT. Trainees in Hereford and Worcester will have rotations linked to other rotations in Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire or the Black Country.
Each zone has a slightly different style and environment, but all offer a wide-range of specialties and experience.
The educational/training environment
CMT has an extensive training programme for educational supervisors to ensure that all trainees get a good training experience. As well as regular appraisals, trainees are required to meet with their supervisors at least every couple of weeks for a one-to-one tutorial and review of progression with their CMT competencies.
There is an active quality control process in place that maintains and improves the quality of the educational experience and teaching sessions. Summaries of reports will be made available via the West Midlands Deanery website.
Each of the five training zones has a slightly different arrangement for CMT teaching. The teaching runs over a two-year repeating cycle, and includes days spent at the regional simulation training centre where both clinical and 'human factor' skills are developed.
Teaching equates to half a day per week. Teaching topics are coordinated across all zones so trainees are not disadvantaged by moving between zones.
BMJ Careers profile: http://careers.bmj.com/specialty-training-mmc-2011/West-Midlands-Deanery
Contact details:
West Midlands Strategic Health Authority
St Chad's Court
213 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 9RG
email: cmtrecruitment@westmidlands.nhs.uk
