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Authors:

• Dr Ros Bacon, Chair, RCoA Equivalence Committee
• Dr Ashwini Keshkamat, Deputy Chair, RCoA Equivalence Committee
• Dr Derek McLaughlin, Deputy Chair, RCoA Equivalence Committee
• Mr Russell Ampofo, RCoA Director of Education, Training and Examinations
• Ms Claudia Moran, RCoA Head of Training

Email our Equivalence team

The College is responsible for ensuring that anaesthetists meet the standards for Specialist Registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and that UK and international medical professionals who seek independent practice in the UK have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience (KSE).

The increasing number of Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) applications and the GMC’s implementation of new regulatory pathways have presented challenges for the Equivalence Committee. The Equivalence Committee is committed, on behalf of the College and members, to maintaining standards. This article explores the proactive steps being taken by the College to support the Equivalence Committee and enhance the process of assessing CESR applications.

New Year is always a time of reflection, particularly as for me it is also the anniversary of my joining as CEO at the College. That is now four years ago, and I find myself looking back on the challenges the College has faced over that time, the changes that have been made and the achievements of our volunteers, elected leaders and staff team.

It has been a remarkable four years. Within a couple of months of my appointment COVID-19 hit. The challenges for our membership were enormous. The specialty was at the frontline, and anaesthetists and intensivists had to learn and adapt at pace to provide the best possible care for the patients who were most seriously ill under very challenging circumstances. The College too had to urgently adapt.

Exams, which had always been held in person, were rapidly moved to virtual platforms. It was a steep learning curve for so many of us and it didn’t all go as smoothly as we wanted, due in large part to the pressures put on so many by the pandemic. Nevertheless, I was proud of the College, its examiners and the exams team, who, along with candidates, contributed fully to the subsequent independent review of our assessment process. The review was published earlier this year. Lessons were learnt and changes have been made that have seen us continue to welcome almost 5,000 candidates per year to the College for their exams.

Jono Brüün, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Anaesthetists looks at the benefits of research and why it will always be at the centre of our activities, creating significant impact for patients and the public.