Wales

Our 3-year IMT programme consists a number of diverse rotations constructed to ensure broad curriculum coverage and good training exposure in Internal Medicine. Our IMT programme consists mainly of 6-month placements along with a guaranteed immersive 3-month block in an Intensive Care Unit (without medicine on-call) during IMT2. This will ensure that trainees receive all required intensive care experience.  All trainees will undertake 6 months training in Geriatrics, usually in year 1 or 2 as per curriculum requirements.

The regional training programmes in Wales offer a wide range of training opportunities and are highly rated by trainees. Trainees when appointed will remain in one of the four regions of Wales (North, South East, South Central, South West) for the entirety of the 3-year programme allowing for home/family stability. You will therefore not be expected to travel around all of Wales but will undertake the whole of your IMT programme in a well defined geographical area.   In North Wales you will be based at one of the 3 acute hospitals in Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board.  In South East Wales you will rotate through acute hospitals in Cardiff and Vale and/or Aneurin Bevan Health Boards.  In South Central Wales to sites in Swansea Bay / Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Boards and for West Wales to Hospitals in LLanelli / Camarthen.  All programmes are pre-planned for the three years and have been tailored to cover a range of acute and speciality experience.  You will therefore know at the offer stage the exact location of your three-year programme including IM3. 

Additional information that is specific to internal medicine training at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the Aneurin Bevan Health Board can be downloaded from the region's website.

The School of Medicine has developed a PACES weekend teaching course (these have been suspended during the pandemic, plans are to restart in 2023).

These are;

• Free to Welsh IMTs after completion of MRCP Part I
• Taught by experienced PACES examiners

We have arranged the delivery of an 'All Wales Teaching Scheme' in the four sub-regional areas of Wales. Key features include;

• Bimonthly, five full-day sessions per year
• Teaching follows the IMT curriculum over 2 years and includes sessions on MRCP Part 1 and written Part 2 questions
• Each sub-region has a Postgraduate Centre Manager and RCP Tutor leading on delivery
• Development of web-based educational material, illustrative clinical cases, data and images
• Program pre-approved for study leave

Wales arranges all IMT trainees with a single Educational Supervisor for their entire 2 years of rotation. Benefits include; 

• Ability to select, train and develop a smaller pool of dedicated Educational Supervisors who have the abilities, knowledge of curriculum and interest to support their trainees; 
• Improved relationship between trainee and ES; 
• Continuity of supervision,
• improved transfer of information (e.g. at times of rotation); 
• Closer and more personal review of trainees’ development and training requirements.

Wales supports and offers Less than full time training. 

We support Educational Development Time (EDT) for IMT. The boarder principles to ensure protected time for trainee development previously referred to as “SPA time” or “half day for audit” has been agreed with the local education providers (LEPs).

We offer pre Induction meetings to all new trainees before starting in programme. New trainees are invited to visit sites and meet with existing trainees and trainers.

There are dedicated support systems in place, with a Royal College Tutor representative at each training site; a IMT trainee Associate College Tutor at each site; a Named regional IMT Training Programme Director – all of whom are easily contactable.

We also hold Pre-ARCP Face to face meetings with all trainees and your RCP College tutors to help you with remediable measures to get successful ARCP outcome 1 if needed.

The Wales Costal Path is a World First – we are the only country in the World that has a continuous coastal path stretching its entire length.  The path travels through some 870 miles of the most beautiful countryside taking you through stunning scenery, coastal villages, castles and beaches. Together, the three Welsh National Parks – Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons – protect an impressive 20 percent of Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites. They’re perfect for active weekends and holidays in the glorious outdoors.

We are passionate about sport including rugby, football, golf, cricket and athletics to name a few, and we’re proud to be home of the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.

We like to celebrate our love of arts and literature. Hay-on-Wye in mid Wales is home to the world’s most famous literary and arts festival. The famous poet Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea in South Wales.  More recent writers to come from Wales include children’s favorite Roald Dahl, who wrote Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Ken Follett who wrote The Pillars of the Earth.

The National Museum in Cardiff is the home of the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings outside Paris. Entry to see the collection, which includes Renoir’s famous Blue Lady, La Parisienne, Rodin’s The Kiss and Monet’s Waterlilies paintings, is free.

A few more facts about Wales:

• Robert Recorde of Tenby invented the = (equals) sign.
• Wales is the first Fair Trade Nation.
• Canned beer was invented in Wales.
• Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales
• Eddie Bowen of Swansea invented artificial rain.
• The longest and fastest zip wire rides in Europe are in Bethesda, North Wales
• Wales has over 100 castles still standing

The Wales Deanery delivers international excellence in postgraduate medical and dental education for Wales. We provide 2,800 training grade doctors and dentists across Wales with access to high quality postgraduate facilities and educational support so that they can achieve their potential in service provision to the NHS in Wales.

Recent Trainee Feedback

• 'It's possible to have a very good balance here between a job you love and a lifestyle you enjoy...'
• 'A lot of people will come for the lifestyle – and that's why a lot of people stay, Swansea for the outdoors and the sea, Brecon for walking and climbing and Cardiff as a City.'
• 'I don't know anyone who hasn't hugely enjoyed it (the training) when they come.'
• 'The facilities are good, everyone I've come across has been enthusiastic to train me, the education facilities are really excellent.'