• Ir J Med Sci · Aug 2021

    The road to consultancy: an epidemiological study.

    • Nadia Van Den Berg, Matthew G Davey, Martin S Davey, Mel Corbett, Laura Fahy, Aisling Hogan, and Myles Joyce.
    • School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland.
    • Ir J Med Sci. 2021 Aug 1; 190 (3): 955-963.

    BackgroundModern medical and surgical training pathways have developed globally in response to changing expectations and requirements for trainees.AimsTo determine the demographic, educational, and training characteristics of consultants in a model 4 teaching hospital, and to evaluate the requirements met by consultant physicians and surgeons prior to their appointment to consultancy.MethodA single-centre study conducted by prospectively distributing written questionnaires. Data was collected and analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS.ResultsThis questionnaire was offered to 166 consultants, 110 of whom responded (66.0%). The vast majority were Irish (91.8%) and 70.9% male. The mean age to appointment was 35.7 ± 2.6 years. Radiology was the specialty with the youngest mean age at appointment: 34.4 ± 2.6 years, while surgery had the oldest: 36.7 ± 2.7 (P = 0.035). Overall, 80.9% trained via Higher Specialist Training (HST) schemes (89/110) and 68.2% completed a higher degree (75/110). Geriatric medicine and dermatology had the highest rate of completed higher degrees (100.0%, 3/3 and 3/3 respectively), followed by surgeons (92.3%; 24/26) and cardiologists (71.4%; 5/7). The overall duration of HST varied greatly; the mean surgical, medical and anaesthesiology durations were 6.7 ± 1.8 years, 6.6 ± 1.7 years, and 5.3 ± 2.0 years. A total of 75.4% of consultants completed fellowship (83/110).ConclusionThis study highlights variations in postgraduate Irish medical training pathways and discrepancies in training requirements expected in each specialty. The establishment of a modern guideline for young trainees working towards consultancy may be imperative in ensuring trainees have insight into training requirements expected in their specialty.© 2020. Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.

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