A significant number of Army doctors are employed as specialists in one of the many available hospital disciplines. Because of MMC we cannot normally accept applications from those who are mid way through their specialist training as inter Deanery transfers are difficult whilst undertaking post graduate training.
Choice of Speciality
The choice of specialty and the number of specialists in the Army is determined by the operational and worldwide commitments. Not all disciplines are represented within the Army as there is no need for certain disciplines. The following list contains those that are:
Anaesthetics and Resuscitation
Burns and Plastics
Dermatology
Emergency Medicine
General Medicine
General Surgery
Genito-Urinary Medicine
Maxillary-Facial
Neurology
OtoRhinoLaryngology (ORL)
Obs & Gynae
Ophthalmology
Orthopaedic Surgery
Pathology
Psychiatry
Radiology
Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
Selection of Speciality
Your selection to one of these specialties would depend on academic ability and the number of vacancies available. Because of the close links with the NHS and RoyalColleges, responsibility for hospital based training (RN, Army and RAF specialists) is entrusted to the Defence Medical Education and Training Agency (DMETA) in close liaison with Single Service Career Advisers, Defence Consultant Advisers and the Defence Medical Post Graduate Dean.
Training
The Defence Medical Services (DMS) will continue to train medical officers in secondary care specialties for practice in the Armed Forces. Consultants will be by qualification, experience and personal quality, equal to their NHS colleagues. Professional training will follow, as closely as possible, the pattern required for NHS trainees as well as meeting the needs of the DMS.
Candidates for consideration for specialty registrar (StR) status will be selected by the DMS from officers who satisfy the entry criteria for the grade. These candidates will apply through the national recruitment system and will be presented to a specialty training appointment committee in conjunction with the West Midlands Deanery, which will include representation from the Defence Postgraduate Medical Deanery (DPMD). Service candidates will not be in competition with civilians for appointment but are required to meet the person specification for entry into specialty training in the relevant specialty. Separate arrangements exist for selection into training for Occupational Medicine and Sports & Exercise Medicine within the DMS.
Successful candidates will be selected as required by the DMS. Those appointed as StR will be awarded a DPMD National Training Number (NTN) by the Defence Postgraduate Medical Dean. They will hold this number until completion of specialty training but if they retire from the Armed Forces before completion of their training, this NTN must be relinquished. In order to complete their training thereafter, they must apply for a training vacancy within a civilian deanery. DMS StRs will occupy posts and programmes approved by the PMETB and their progress will be monitored as required by PMETB approved curriculum and assessment strategies. This will include attendance annually or as required at an assessment panel for their specialty convened by the host deanery or DPMD as appropriate. Host deanery assessment panels will normally be attended by the Defence Postgraduate Medical Dean or a nominated representative. DPMD assessment panels will normally include external representation.
Following the successful completion of a full programme of specialty training and receipt of a CCT any Service medical officer seeking accreditation as a DMS consultant will be presented to an Armed Services Consultant Approval Board for confirmation of NHS equivalence and suitability for consultant status.
Research
Research is as important to the training of Army specialists as it is to their civilian counterparts. Army specialist trainees are fortunate in that in addition to clinically based research in Service hospitals, they have access to the unequalled research facilities of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Porton Down. There they can join existing research projects or initiate projects based on their own original ideas. Surgical higher trainees spend one-year full time attachments at DSTL, usually leading to the award of a higher degree. Physicians and Anaesthetists are also involved in current projects. Part time attachments with day release from clinical posts can also be arranged.
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