RCSEd on 31 May 2019 welcomed College Council Members to Birmingham to launch the UK’s first International Postgraduate Deanery (IPD). The principle focus of the IPD is high quality training and patient safety.
The College will use their global network and local expertise to give international medical graduates (IMGs) the chance to spend up to two years contributing towards patient care in the NHS. This will not only help them develop new skills and competencies that they can then use to benefit patients in their home countries upon their return, but also improve training and development within the NHS more generally.
As the largest of the UK’s four surgical Colleges with a growing membership in excess of 26,000 in over 100 countries worldwide, RCSEd provide training, examinations and development to medical professionals and whilst head quartered in Edinburgh, the College have centres in Birmingham and Kuala Lumpur to serve growing UK and international memberships.
RCSEd has considerable experience in this area. For over 25 years, the College has placed highly skilled IMGs into vacant training posts in the NHS – well over 1000 in total. As part of their training, these doctors have helped provide the NHS with much needed expertise and have supported the NHS by filling training gaps that may otherwise have remained vacant.
Mr Stuart Clark, International Postgraduate Dean, Member of RCSEd Council, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon said:
“I am excited to announce the launch of RCSEd's new International Postgraduate Deanery. The Deanery will offer Trusts the opportunity to provide high quality training to overseas doctors whilst utilising their skills and expertise within the NHS. RCSEd has over 25 years' experience of delivering similar programmes and we are keen to use this expertise to continue to deliver a world class service.”
RCSEd are conscious of the considerable value that the exchange of global surgical knowledge brings to the NHS, and intend to use the IPD to advance this. The Deanery will ensure that trainees are fully inducted to the NHS and UK practice, and equipped with the non-technical skills required to provide high quality patient care. In turn, the College will support doctors towards achieving their training aims and ensure they are treated with the same fairness as their UK counterparts. IMGs are an invaluable asset to the NHS, and it is essential that this value is recognised.
Mr Pala Rajesh, Vice President RCSEd, Cardiothoracic Surgeon said:
“I have enjoyed my role in developing the International Postgraduate Deanery, and look forward to seeing it come to fruition. The Deanery will allow the College to develop its existing international portfolio and engage with our Members and Fellows around the globe while supporting the NHS.”
Unique to RCSEd, the College will be proud to award Membership of the International Postgraduate Deanery (MIPD) to all trainees who successfully complete their training with the IPD, and look forward to continuing to work with MIPDs following their return to their home country to implement the skills they have gained in the NHS.
> Visit the International Postgraduate Deanery page for more information