I'm not really sure that you are being comdemned to not being able to sit
the examination rather than the emphasis being rightly placed on your
experience to date. It would be unfair to regard this examination in the
same light as the MRCP or AFRCS as it is not possible to compare the two.
If you are determined to do examinations these examinations are open to you.
This not only gives the benefit of invariably learning a great deal while
studying for these examinations but maintains interest in the specialty that
you are rotations through and allowing you to become eligable for the
MRCSEd(A&E).
It would be more reasonable to compare the exam to the MICGP (or UK
equivalent). As far as I understand GP's are only eligable to sit this exam
at the end of their training schemes.
Currently in Ireland we have an increasing number of SHO rotations that
particularly aim to give the appropriate jobs in order to make yourself
eligable for the appropriate examinations. At the end of these schemes you
are free to pursue a staff grade job or aim to secure an SpR post. Whilest
I have been frustrated to see colleagues progress through their speciaility
more rapidly than me it is now starting to even out. The benefit as far as
I understand is that it now no longer a requirement for you to pass a
medical or surgical specialty examination prior to sitting an examination in
Emergency Medicine. I'm sure you have friends who have had serial failures
sitting the MRCP, for example.
I'm not saying that the system is perfect but there has to be some sort of
minimum requirement prior to a specialist examination. This will hopefully
prevent people slipping through the net and being certified competant when
they realy have very little experience at all. Maybe the college of
physicians should be asking for a minimum amount of experience prior to the
MRCP rather than putting so much emphasis on an examination that appears to
have(in my humble opinion) more focus on academia than on practical
competance.
Personally speaking I have found that the recognition of Emergency Medicine
as a separate specialty, with its own training requirements and dramatically
increased the proportion of competant SHO's working in the Emergency
Department. Due to the broad range of our case mix it is unfortunatley a
necessary evil to have rotate through different specialties as an SHO.
As a side issue I actually found my time spent in anaesthetics more useful
than either my surgical or medical jobs.
Regards,
Alistair Murray
Dublin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tudor Codreanu" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 8:32 PM
Subject: MFAEM examination
> I would be most grateful for an explanation regarding the MFAEM
> examination. I have just read the July Supplement of the EMJ regarding the
> MFAEM. I am a little puzzled by the requirement of the Faculty to have 6
> months medicine, 1 year A&E and 6 months surgical specilaties (very
similar
> to the RCS requirements) on one hand, and the vast number of adverts in
the
> BMJ for staff grade posts thet would require a minimum of 1 year of A&E.
> Shouls such person be then employed he/she would be condemned of not being
> able to sit his/her examinations fault of the 6 months' medical and/or
> surgical jobs as SHO. Is this a real discrepancy or I am missing
something?
> Kind regards,
>
> Dr T Codreanu
> A&E, Elgin
>
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