Intermediate
The British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons (BAETS), through the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, has produced a series of online case-based discussions covering endocrine surgery curriculum requirements for General Surgery trainees - this can be accessed here.
Users are able to set up a free RCSEd VLE account and access case-based discussions on: Management of adrenal swellings; Neck lumps; Parathyroid anatomy and physiology; FNA - the classification of thyroid nodules; Hypercalcaemia/hyperparathyroidism; Management of post thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia; Postoperative neck haematoma; Thyroid anatomy.
Structure of the Intermediate Stage ST3 and ST4
During the Intermediate stage trainees will learn the basic concepts and start to develop decision making, clinical and technical skills in Elective General Surgery, Emergency General Surgery, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Breast Surgery, Transplant Surgery and Endocrine Surgery. Training in Emergency General Surgery will be undertaken throughout this stage.
Special interest placements, each of six months duration, will include Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery and Vascular Surgery for all trainees. Depending on career aspirations, trainees will be placed in a further six month post in either Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Breast Surgery or Transplant Surgery during this stage. Trainees who do not complete a post in Breast or Transplant Surgery must gain the knowledge and skills in these areas through formal teaching and attendance at clinics and operating lists by arrangement.
Towards the end of ST4, trainees, in discussion with their Training Programme Director, may choose which of the components (Upper Gastrointestinal, Colorectal, Breast or Transplant) of general surgery to develop into a special interest, alongside their elective and emergency general surgery training. They may also consider whether to gain competencies in one of the other areas of general surgery (endocrine, general surgery of childhood, advanced trauma, remote and rural). By the end of ST4 the trainee will have the knowledge, clinical and technical skills in Elective General Surgery, Emergency General Surgery, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Breast Surgery, Transplant Surgery and Endocrine Surgery to the standard defined in the syllabus.