Internal Medicine (IM) Stage 1 training is the first stage of specialty training for most doctors who intend to pursue higher specialist training in medical specialties. The curriculum for IMT Stage 1 was approved by the GMC in December 2017 and replaced the Core Medical Training (CMT) in August 2019.
It is a three year structured programme aimed at producing doctors with the generic professional and specialty specific capabilities, skills and attitudes required to manage patients who present with a wide range of general medical symptoms and conditions. This will involve diagnostic reasoning, dealing with uncertainty, managing complex medical conditions and co-morbidities and recognising when specialty opinion and care is required. It will equip doctors with skills to manage an acute medical take and will also prepare and support their transition to be medical registrars.
The IM training programme encompasses the following:
- Involvement in the acute medical take
- Mandatory placements in Geriatric Medicine and Critical Care
- Day-to-day management of medical inpatients
- Outpatients work (clinics)
- Simulation-based training (human factors and scenario training, procedural skills and medical registrar preparation)
- Palliative and end of life care experience
The curriculum will be delivered through a variety of learning experiences and doctors will be supported to achieve the required capabilities through different learning methods
The full Internal Medicine curriculum is available for trainees to access on the JRCPTB website.
The East Midlands are excited to offer an innovative programme for a select number of IMT1 trainees starting in August 2023. Trainees will be able to undertake the ‘Enhance’ programme in Leadership and Social Medicine alongside Internal Medicine Training, receiving specialist training in areas such as health inequalities and public health. The ‘Enhance’ programme will span the 3 years of IMT Stage 1 training, with allocated time dedicated to ‘Enhance’ activities. Trainees will have the unique opportunity to rotate into a four month community placement, whilst also undertaking acute hospital on-calls. They would also be offered immersive experiences with voluntary organisations, to work on projects aimed at making tangible changes for the local community and tackling health inequalities. Time spent in community placements will still count towards IMT Stage 1 training. These programmes will be clearly indicated within the region's preferences when available for selection.
An HEE video detailing potential future opportunities available for trainees undertaking this program is available. If you require further information, please email enhance.mid@hee.nhs.uk