ST4 FAQs

I am an ST4. How do I obtain a EQ1b certificate? Should this take priority over starting to work towards stage 2 HALOs or can both be done simultaneously?

If you are transitioning to the new curriculum in ST4 (Aug 21 onwards) which is the beginning of Stage 2, you will need to obtain the EQ1b certificate asap to confirm that you have completed all the requirements for Stage 1. Evidence required to complete Stage 1 is available on the RCoA website.
The 7 Generic Professional Domains can be extrapolated retrospectively from Core/ACCS and experience outside of training, if applicable.
The 7 Clinical Domains also need completing. Again, the evidence required is available under the Stage 1 curriculum on the RCoA website.
It is essential you must have completed 6m ICM too and must have been on-call for obstetrics (supervision level 3).

If evidence of any of the above are lacking from core training, how should this be addressed during my ST4 year?

Please contact your TPD asap.

How do we evidence previously completed units of training on the new curriculum?

Download previously completed CUT forms, upload them onto LLP as a PDF and link them into the new domains.

There seem to be two transition options for ST4 trainees on the RCoA website: Option A - Move to the 2021 curriculum at the start of ST4, complete EQ1b and embark on Stage 2 incorporating evidence from Intermediate Training OR Option B - Stay on the 201

What do I need to achieve by the end of ST4?

EQ1b completed, and progressing with stage 2 capabilities

By transitioning into the 2021 curriculum in ST4 and having already completed some stage 2 units of training during my ST3 year (eg. cardiac, neuro) if I obtain all stage 2 competencies before the end of ST5, would I be able to move into stage 3 early?

Yes, you can begin to collate evidence for the next Stage of training for any Domain in which your HALO is completed
However, if you complete a Stage in its entirety and wish to move into the next stage early then you will need an Interim ARCP to confirm the start date of the next level of training
It is important to bear in mind that any adjustment to your provisional CCT date would be decided by the RCoA training department. There is no guarantee that your CCT will be brought forward and you may be asked for a narrative summary to support an adjustment. The final decision rests with the College.

I have completed Intermediate level ICM during ST3, do I need to do a further ICU training block during ST4/ST5 (Stage 2)? Or will this suffice for Stage 2 ICU sign off? (not including future ICU service commitments or on-calls)

ST3 ICM is not equivalent to Higher ICM on the old curriculum, nor Stage 2 ICM on the new curriculum. Therefore, ST3 ICM cannot be used to automatically count towards Stage 2 ICM.
There are two components to the Stage 2 ICM Domain: time based - the new curriculum says all trainees need to have completed a dedicated 9m ICM by end of Stage 2 and competency-based for which the requirement is to fulfill a capability level 3 (equivalent to Higher Level ICM)
If you have completed only 3m ICM in Core/ACCS and another 3m ICM in ST3, you will need to complete a further 3m ICM in Stage 2 (for the time based reason above).
If you have completed 6m ICM in ACCS/Core or as a Fellow/Trust Reg in ICM (with appropriate evidence) and an additional 3m ICM in ST3 for Intermediate Level training, you will still need to demonstrate the Stage 2 Capabilities, and it is likely this will require an additional ICM module in Stage 2. However, if you have a great deal of extra ICM experience (e.g. from COVID) you may not need a further Full 3 month dedicated block but may manage to achieve this through an abridged block, and can acquire competencies more flexibly throughout your ST4/5 year when on call, doing major cases etc
Please discuss this with your FICM Tutor and College Tutor to ensure you have exposure to sufficient ICM experience and bear in mind that you can also use ICM experience to gain evidence towards other Domains – especially Resuscitation & Transfer and Perioperative Medicine

If I have already completed a unit of training (for example obstetrics) at Intermediate level during ST3, do I need to do a further training block in this domain during stage 2? Or will re-submission of the old CUT form be sufficient? (not including futur

If you have already completed Intermediate Level training cardiac, neuro, obstetrics and paediatrics – the sign offs can be extrapolated towards Stage 2 as long as the capabilities for the new curriculum are met. As with ICM, this may not need to be done as a dedicated block but competences can be achieved more flexibly throughout Stage 2. However, please note comments above regarding exposure to paediatrics in a Tertiary Centre for Stage 2.

Who signs off the HALO forms for the gap analysis?

Generic Professional Domains – ES or CS or QI Lead
Clinical Domains – ES or CS or Nominated Consultant/Module supervisor. Check with your College Tutor.

Can my ES sign off the various domains without me having to upload all the evidence again?

Yes. If you sit down with your ES/CS and look through the evidence together you can then summarise this within the HALO.