Useful information
This page provides resources to answer questions on employment and training in Emergency Medicine.
Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM)
Oversees training, education and professional exams.
British Medical Association (BMA)
Doctors union giving advice and representation on employment issues
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Conference of Post-Graduate Medical Deans (COPMeD) - Gold Guide 9th Edition
A reference guide for post-graduate and speciality training in the UK
Less Than Full Time (LTFT)
Working LTFT can improve work-life balance and allow the pursuit of outside interests, but will extend the duration of training, reduce income and may affect your pension.
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Application to work LTFT is via the Deanery. Under the Category 3 LTFT pilot EM trainees are eligible to work at 50%, 60% or 80% without having to meet specific criteria such as carer, health or religious grounds. Approval is needed by your Educational Supervisor and Training Programme director, usually with 3 months notice.
Once approved all Hospital Trusts should have a LTFT Champion who should be able to help with specific queries.
​Time Out-Of-Programme (OOP) allows trainees to pause EM training in order to undertake further training, research or experience in an area of interest. All OOP requests need to be approved by the Education Supervisor, Training Programme Director and Post-graduate Dean (or their nominated deputy) with at least 3 months notice. OOPs in training or research will also need approval by the RCEM Training Standards Committee and the GMC if they are taking place in a non-approved training location.
IDTs are co-ordinated by a National IDT Team. Trainees can move between Deaneries and between the devolved nations. Transfers must be approved by the Educational Supervisor, Training Programme Director and in some instances the Post-Graduate Dean. There are two transfer application windows a year (February and August) with approved transfers occurring around 6 months after application.
** In August 2022 the need to meet one of 4 "change of circumstances" criteria was removed **
Tax relief
Doctors in training are entitled to claim tax relief on professional expenses. Professional expenses include membership fees (of the RCEM, BMA and indemnity organisation), cost of exams and other work related expenses. Rebates can be applied for up to 4 years retrospectively to a maximum of £2,500.