Speciality: Geriatric Medicine
Why choose this programme
This 5 year programme offers training in all aspects of elderly medicine and its subspecialties, along with general (internal) medicine. Successful completion of the programme will lead to dual accreditation in both geriatric medicine and general (internal) medicine. Trainees are encouraged to undertake a period of research, and many opt to take time out of programme to gain a higher degree. Placements are undertaken in Edinburgh (Royal Infirmary, Western General Hospital, Royal Victoria Building and Liberton Hospital) and in the District General Hospitals of Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Fife; Borders General Hospital, Melrose; and St. John’s Hospital, Livingston.
The first 2 years of the programme are normally spent in one of the DGHs. Year 1 is intensive G(I)M within busy acute medical units all performing acute unselected medical takes. Trainees will be attached to consultant physicians with a range of specialty interests and will have the opportunity to attend specialty clinics during this time. Year 2 is spent in geriatric medicine with low level commitment to acute medical receiving on call. Experience will be obtained in a DGH setting of many aspects of elderly medicine including acute assessment, rehabilitation, stroke medicine, day hospital and community medicine/hospital at home, and a variety of specialty clinics.
Year 3 is normally spent in geriatric medicine at either the Western General Hospital or Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, where further experience will be gained in a specialist geriatric medicine unit. Subspecialty interests include Parkinson’s Disease, falls, stroke, and orthogeriatric rehabilitation. Experience may be obtained in a variety of community teams.
Years 4 and 5 are combined geriatric medicine and general (internal) medicine and take place at the Royal Infirmary and Western General Hospitals in Edinburgh, with options to rotate to a DGH if required. Trainees will contribute to the Hospital at Night rotas at a senior level during these rotations. As part of the training programme, attachments will be undertaken in coronary care, intensive care, psychiatry of old age, orthogeriatrics, stroke medicine and palliative care. It is recommended that these attachments are arranged after ST4.
Multidisciplinary team meetings, postgraduate meetings and audit meetings take place in all units. Attendance is expected at the monthly regional registrar teaching days, for both geriatric medicine and general (internal) medicine. All trainees will be allocated an academic mentor who will encourage participation in research, quality improvement and audit.
Trainees are encouraged to participate in teaching of medical students through giving of lectures and tutorials along with clinical teaching during all attachments.
The South East of Scotland programme therefore offers extremely high quality training in geriatric and general (internal) medicine in a wide variety of units. All trainees will experience all subspecialty aspects of elderly medicine with opportunities to gain further experience in these areas if required. A further year in stroke medicine is available by competitive entry. Such a year should ideally be undertaken after ST4. Out of programme experience in research or medical education is encouraged depending on funding and individual circumstances
All trainees are expected to participate in both audit and quality improvement projects. All units actively participate in audit and QI and will help the trainee engage in appropriate projects. In addition, trainees are encouraged to complete a systematic review and to present this at the Evidence Based Medicine day held annually in Glasgow for geriatric medicine trainees. All trainees are allocated an academic mentor who will help guide the trainee in research, quality improvement and audit projects. Dr Susie Shenkin co-ordinates the academic mentors and also provides advice and support on academic matters.
Edinburgh is host to the Internationally recognised Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology as well as the Queen’s Medical Research Institute, the Molecular Medicine Centre and Wellcome Clinical Research Facility. There is also a major interest in stroke research, through the Department of Clinical Neurology and Stroke Trials Unit. Many trainees on the programme have been successful in securing funding for a period of time out of programme in research (OOPR) leading to a higher degree.
Leadership and management opportunities include out of programme experience as part of a Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowship (by competitive interview). Trainees would also be supported to apply for local Chief Registrar posts
Liberton Hospital, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow , St Johns Hospital, Livingston, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Borders General Hospital, Melrose, Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee
South-East of Scotland – in Edinburgh hospitals with placements in Lothian, Borders and Fife:
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Liberton Hospital, Edinburgh
Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh
Borders General Hospital, Melrose
St John’s hospital, Livingston
Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
| Programme Type | Deanery based or National: Deanery |
| Administration office | South-East of Scotland |
| Lead Dean / Director | Professor Adam Hill |
| Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP) | Dr Jane Rimer |
| Specialty or Sub-specialty | Specialty or Sub-specialty: Specialty |
| Date of GMC recent approval | August 2010 |
| Associated Royal College - Faculty |
Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (web site) |
| Curriculum and Associated Assessment System | http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/postgraduate/geriatric_medicine.asp |
| Programme Administrator: |
Named Programme Administrator:
Sarah McNeil
Address: NHS Education for Scotland, West of Scotland Region 2 Central Quay 89 Hydepark Street Glasgow G3 8BW Tel: Email: Sarah.McNeil@nhs.scot |
| Programme Director |
Programme Director Name: Dr Sarah Marinnan Address: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Tel: Email: sarah.marinnan@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk |
| Quality of Training | Quality Management |