Speciality: Combined Infection Training - Infectious Diseases - Medical Microbiology
From 2015 there will be major changes to the way training in infectious diseases, medical microbiology and medical virology are delivered across the UK with a new joint RCPath and JRCPTB curriculum. These programmes will consist of 2 years of Combined Infection Training (CIT) followed by either 2 years of higher specialty training in Medical microbiology (MM) or Medical virology (MV), with a third year for joint training with Infectious Diseases (ID); or 2 years of higher specialty training in Infectious diseases, with a third year for joint training with general internal medicine (GIM) or tropical medicine.
In Scotland, from 2015, Medical microbiology and Medical virology posts will be offered as joint posts with Infectious diseases. When posts are available in Infectious diseases these will be joint posts with GIM.
While recruitment to all 3 specialties will be managed through national recruitment to CIT, trainees will apply to and be appointed to MM, MV or ID programmes with National Training Numbers (NTN) being issued accordingly. It will not be possible to change programme at the end of CIT without going through a separate recruitment process.
Combined training is an exciting approach to training in infection specialities as it combines both the clinical and laboratory aspects relevant to patient care, and means that all trainees will gain in depth knowledge about the significant advances in molecular technology and their impact on patient care. The 2 year common CIT programme consists of one year in ID (clinics and in-patient care) and one year in microbiology and virology.
On call commitments form part of the training programme, and for all trainees during CIT this may include covering general medical wards and/or participating in acute unselected medical take, in addition to infection specialties.
MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY - East of Scotland Programme
In Scotland, the training will follow the joint RCPath and JRCPTB curriculum. The posts offered will be joint MM/ID. The 2 years of CIT will be divided into a year in microbiology and virology followed by a year in ID. During the year in microbiology and virology, trainees will acquire basic skills in laboratory and clinical microbiologyand virology. In the latter of this period trainees will have opportunities to gain experience in management of a variety of infections in both adults and children.
Opportunities to participate in infection ward rounds including weekly rounds in intensive care, haematology/oncology, transplant medicine, multi-disciplinary team meetings. The trainees will also have opportunities to gain some experience in infection prevention and control activities.
There are opportunities to take part in research projects, laboratory and clinical audits. All training centres offer these within departments, in affiliated reference laboratories and local university departments. Trainees will also have opportunities to participate in undergraduate teaching. Trainees will also participate in management activities which are an integral part of quality improvement.
There are excellent educational opportunities and participation by both consultants and trainees in Microbiology in all the three main centres via teleconference. Our journal club programme has been attended by consultants in other specialties e.g. Cardiology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, 50 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SF, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, St Johns Hospital, Livingston, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
East of Scotland
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Western General Hospital - includes a large and busy ITU, Liver and Renal Transplant surgery, regional cardiothoracic, orthopaedics, regional neonatal units.
The microbiology laboratory and the regional virus laboratory are based at this hospital. In addition, there are four Scottish microbiology/virology Reference Laboratories: namely the Blood-Borne Virus Laboratory, Scottish Bacterial Sexually-Transmitted Infections Reference Laboratory, Scottish E coli Reference Laboratory, Scottish Human Papillomavirus Reference Shigella.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Ninewells Hospital & Dundee Medical School, Dundee – a major general teaching hospital with 810 acute beds in NHS Tayside. It provides all the major disciplines including general medicine and surgery and specialist areas such as infectious diseases, oncology, gynaecology, plastics, neurosurgery, ENT. The microbiology laboratory providing both specialist bacteriology and virology is based at this hospital.
Victoria Hospital and Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline – are other training centres in providing DGH experience in microbiology. Located in Fife, they one of the main hospitals in NHS Fife and is located in Kirkcaldy.
Raigmore Hospital – the main DGH in NHS Highlands and is a teaching hospital of the University of Aberdeen. It has a total of 500 beds. The Scottish National Toxoplasma and Lyme Reference Service is based here.
Borders General Hospital – the district general hospital serving the Scottish Borders region. It has 320 beds with 87 acute medical and a 6-bedded ITU. There are general medical and surgical services provided. The microbiology service is part of the laboratory services provided at the hospital. It has close with specialised services offered by haematology, microbiology and clinical chemistry in Lothian and other laboratories in Scotland.
| Programme Type | Deanery based or National: Deanery |
| Administration office | North of Scotland |
| Lead Dean / Director | Professor Alan Denison |
| Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP) | Dr Clair Evans |
| Specialty or Sub-specialty | Specialty or Sub-specialty: Specialty |
| Date of GMC recent approval | August 2014 |
| Associated Royal College - Faculty |
Royal College of Pathologists (web site) |
| Curriculum and Associated Assessment System | http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/medical_microbiology.asp |
| Programme Administrator: |
Named Programme Administrator:
Dianne Morrison
Address: NHS Education for Scotland, Forest Grove House, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZP Tel: Email: Dianne.Morrison@nhs.scot |
| Programme Director |
Programme Director Name: Dr Anna Jarchow-MacDonald Address: Tel: Email: Anna.Jarchow-MacDonald2@nhs.scot |
| Quality of Training | Quality Management |