Domain 3: Knowledge of Anaesthesia Training

Question 1

Stage 1
(Core vs ACCS)

Answer 1

Curriculum changed in 2021
Curriculum now focused on generic professional capabilities and outcome-based rather than competency base (less tick-box, more holistic)

Stage 1 = 3-4 years

Core = 3 years
ACCS = 4 years

Core: 3 years rotating through anaesthetics + Critical care

ACCS:
- First 2 years is common stem: 6 month rotations in ED, acute med, anaesthetics, and ITU
- Then 2 years of anaesthetics

Early anaesthetics training is heavily supervised with lots of 1-to-1 time with consultants (special feature of anaesthetics)

Would achieve Initial assessment of Competence (IAC) within 8-12 weeks of starting first anaesthetics block after which I can be on-call (still with supervision)

Also will rotate through Obstetric anaesthesia and receive IAC in obstetric anaesthesia

Question 2

Stage 2

Answer 2

2 years

Exposed to more specialist areas

e.g. Cardiothoracics, difficult airways

Question 3

Stage 3

Answer 3

2 years

Develop skills further and identify specific areas of interest

e.g. Paediatric anaesthesia

Question 4

How does dual training with ICU work?

Answer 4

After completing your stage 1 training, you can apply to dual-CCT in ICU and Anaesthetics. This takes longer than involves splitting your time more evenly between anaesthetics and ICU.

Question 5

What are the exams?

Answer 5

Notoriously difficult because they consist of physics, pharmacology and physiology.

FRCA Primary
- SBA exam + viva
- Need to pass to progress to Stage 2 training

FRCA Final
- CRQs (Constructed response questions) + MCQs + viva
- Need to pass to progress to Stage 3

If you do Dual CCT, you also need to do FFICM Exams

Example answer:
“ The first stage of training, that I’m currently applying for, consists of ACCS or core anaesthetics. I am interested in ACCS as I intend to pursue a career in anaesthetics and ICU and believe that I would benefit from some more exposure to acute medicine. During the first stage, I will develop my confidence in safely delivering high quality anaesthetic care with a high level of supervision in the first instance. I will also be sitting the FRCA primary which I hope to pass to progress to stage 2”