Internal Medicine Training (IMT)

Programme description

GMC Reference: NOS4081

Why choose this programme 

The three-year Internal Medical Training (IMT) Stage 1 programme is split into 6 posts of 4 months each over the first 2 years and 2 posts of 6 months in year 3.  The rotations are designed to provide a broad range of core medical knowledge and skills in line with the new curriculum.  These rotations provide greater exposure to General Medicine during the first year of training. All trainees undertake 4 months in acute medicine and 4 months in medicine for the elderly over the first two years and the required critical care block (either HDU or ICU) in year 2. The remaining 3 jobs in the first 2 years provide experience in a range of medical specialities. Some trainees may complete IMT after year 2 to apply for group 2 medical specialities. All trainees will have the opportunity to progress to year 3 and those applying to group 1 specialities need to complete year 3. The ethos of year 3 is progressing to the registrar grade in a supervised environment. This will include 6 months in a more general placement and 6 months in a speciality, further exposure to the acute take is included.

We aim to assign an Educational Supervisor to each trainee for the duration of the program.  Each medical specialty provides its local clinical supervision and teaching programme. The curriculum is covered in a series of monthly national training days including a QI conference which have received excellent feedback from trainees. In the first half of year one you will attend a simulation boot camp covering procedural and non-procedural skills. Further regional simulation training course are provided in years 2 and 3. Career and progression guidance will be provided throughout.

Rotations are themed to address different training needs and most incorporate experience of district general, remote and teaching hospitals. Twelve rotations are based in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (a large teaching hospital) and rotate through Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin (a small DGH).  Six are based in Inverness (a large DGH) and rotate through include the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Shetland (remote and rural), Caithness General Hospital (Wick) and Western Isle (remote and rural). These rotations provide a unique Remote and Rural set of rotations for interested trainees.

Aberdeen is a historic city with many architectural splendours.  The use of its sparkling local granite has earned Aberdeen the name of the Granite City.  Recognised as the prosperous energy capital of Europe, Aberdeen nevertheless retains its old-fashioned charm and character making it an attractive place in which to live.  The potential for leisure facilities are outstanding with skiing, hill walking, cycling, water sports and golf to name a few, with easy road access to the countryside to visit historical castles or just enjoy the beautiful scenery.  Aberdeen enjoys excellent communication services with other British and European cities – e.g., flying time to London is just over an hour with regular daily flights, road and rail links to all points north and south are excellent.

Inverness is a growing centre for medical training based in Raigmore the largest hospital, It’s located in the capital of the Highlands and the outdoor capital of Scotland. It is well located with access to the remote beauty of the west coast including the Hebrides islands and the far north with its Flow Country a proposed world UNESCO site. Famous for Nessie and Loch Ness, big wild glens and rare wildlife, the Highlands make an ideal location for those who love to enjoy and explore the outdoors. In previous years junior doctors have taken full advantage of this sea kayaking with whales, ice climbing in the Cairngorm national park and swimming in waterfalls to name a few of the many adventures that attract the outdoor minded. The airport is small but well connected within the UK.

Shetland

Shetland: where Scotland meets Scandinavia and the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Shetland is an archipelago of around 100 islands, 15 of which are inhabited. Its dramatic coastline stretches for almost 1,700 miles and includes some of Britain's highest sea cliffs, hundreds of sea caves, and countless secluded beaches and bays. A rich Viking heritage has shaped a strong Norse culture which remains evident today.

For trainees; Shetland offers a truly distinctive remote and rural medical experience. Doctors develop broad generalist skills and gain exposure to the full spectrum of acute, chronic and unscheduled care within a small hospital and community setting. Working closely with consultants and multidisciplinary colleagues, trainees develop confidence in decision-making, continuity of care and patient-centred medicine, whilst gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of delivering healthcare across an island population.

Long winter nights are brightened by spectacular fire festivals, while the northerly latitude results in summer days with up to 19 hours of daylight. Trainees make full use of the rugged outdoor lifestyle, with opportunities for sea swimming, coasteering, kayaking, wildlife watching and hillwalking.

Elgin

Elgin is situated between Aberdeen and Inverness on the Moray coast. It is a hidden gem with wonderful beaches and forests to the north and the Spey to the south with the world’s largest concentration of whisky distilleries. The Spey river has many beautiful river walks and lovely cycle routes. The hospital is beautiful mix of the old and new sitting to the west of Elgin.

Western Isles

The Western Isles, or Outer Hebrides, are a chain of islands linked by ferries and causeways stretching along Scotland's Atlantic coast. The largest islands are Lewis and Harris, renowned for their turquoise seas, pristine white beaches and rich cultural heritage. Luskentyre Beach is frequently recognised as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, while ancient brochs, standing stones and traditional Gaelic culture remain central to island life.

The Western Isles provide an exceptional environment in which to develop as a generalist physician in a remote and rural setting. Trainees experience integrated hospital and community care, manage a wide range of clinical presentations, and gain valuable insight into the healthcare needs of dispersed island populations. The close collaboration between primary, secondary and community services offers unique learning opportunities and fosters independent clinical practice and leadership skills.

The capital, Stornoway, has a vibrant cultural scene, with traditional music, strong community networks and an exceptional quality of life for those seeking outdoor adventure alongside professional development.

Wick and Caithness

Wick, the historic heart of Caithness, sits on Scotland's far north-east coast and serves a large rural population across some of the country's most striking landscapes. The area is characterised by dramatic coastlines, expansive skies, hidden harbours and easy access to the internationally recognised Flow Country, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Outdoor pursuits including surfing, paddle boarding, mountain biking, hillwalking and wildlife watching are all within easy reach.

A placement in Caithness General Hospital offers another outstanding opportunity to experience remote and rural medicine. Trainees develop broad-based generalist skills while caring for patients from geographically dispersed communities, often managing a diverse range of presentations within a relatively small healthcare team. The role encourages clinical autonomy, collaborative working and an appreciation of the unique challenges of delivering high-quality healthcare in rural settings. Experience in Wick complements training in Inverness, Shetland and the Western Isles by providing further insight into the realities of healthcare delivery across the Highlands and Islands.

Trainees appointed to these internal medical training programmes would be expected to follow the IMT curriculum and obtain MRCP exam by the end of year 2 training. Opportunities and training in Quality Improvement are offered to all trainees. Research is encouraged and can be facilitated through existing strong links with the University of Aberdeen but is not essential.

The NES IMT programme consistently gets excellent trainee feedback and the North of Scotland IMT programme ranked top of all UK IMT programmes in the GMC trainee survey for overall trainee satisfaction in 2022/2023/2024 and second in 2025.

Research, audit, teaching and management opportunities

The programme in the North provides a superb and varied grounding in the main internal medical specialities, with unparalleled opportunities for exposure to remote and rural medicine. Rotations are themed to address different training needs and incorporate experience of district general, remote and teaching hospitals.  The Deanery is leading in the Acute Medicine (Remote and Rural Medicine) programme in Scotland and provides an opportunity to consider this option.

There is ample opportunity for quality improvement within IMT, with QIP training provided as part of the teaching programme. Most clinical departments have their own educational meetings. Involvement with research is not expected but is strongly encouraged.

Appropriate use of study leave is actively encouraged. There are a number of locally-run courses and use of the study leave budget is encouraged to allow attendance at these or other non-local courses.

Our trainers support our Internal Medical Trainees to frequently becoming our future registrars and consultant colleagues.  This motivates trainers and enables excellent training relationships and investment into trainee development. We are keen to train and retain the best doctors to provide the best possible service to the people in the North of Scotland. All trainees have a trained Educational Supervisor and there is easy access to Deanery officials if required.  Our trainees have an exceptionally high success rate in procuring their preferred higher specialty posts on completion of IMT.

Where the training is delivered?

• Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (N101H) - Aberdeen
• Dr Gray's Hospital (N411H) - Elgin
• Gilbert Bain Hospital (Z102H) - Lerwick
• Raigmore Hospital (H202H) - Inverness
• Western Isles Hospital (W107H) - Stornoway
• Woodend General Hospital (N102H) - Aberdeen
• Caithness General Hospital (H103H) - Wick

Contacts and useful links

Information
Programme type (Deanery or National):	Deanery
Administration office:	North
Lead Dean / Director:	Professor Adam Hill
Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP):	David Carty
Specialty or Sub-specialty:	Specialty
Date of GMC recent approval:	Aug 2010
Associated Royal College - Faculty:	Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board
Curriculum and associated assessment system:	http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/general_internal_medicine.asp
Programme administrator:	Name: Emma Campbell Address: Training Programme Administrator, Public Services Delivery (PSD) Scotland, 4th floor, 177 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 7ER Email: Emma.Campbell16@nhs.scot
Programme director(s):	Name: Dr Jennifer Lowrie Address: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, AB24 2ZN. Email: Jennifer.Lowrie@nhs.scot Name: Dr William Rutherford Address: Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. IV2 3UJ. Email: william.rutherford1@nhs.scot
Quality of training:	Quality Management

How to apply

This page was last updated on: 11.09.2026 at 15.54