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I am a year 4 trainee and wish to complete subspecialty training in sexual and reproductive health on a modular basis. I have completed a significant proportion of the logbook in my current post in outpatient gynaecology. Are there any precedents for this? I would be happy to complete the outstanding modules unpaid

Authors: Alan Mathers 

Publication date:  21 Jul 2007

I know of no precedent for this as you are specifying subspecialty training and not a special interest.

I do not believe that your request would be acceptable to the SST committee at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and they approve all of the applicants for such posts. Your suggestion is contrary to the design and spirit of the programme in respect of supervision procedures.

You should talk with your college deanery adviser in confidence emphasising that you wish to keep the discussion off the record. You could also ask the view of the local head of the relevant subspecialty training programme: they will know the rules.

The college's website (www.rcog.org.uk) will have further information but I suspect that you have already looked at this and not found it as helpful as you might wish.

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Alan Mathers consultant and clinical director North Glasgow University NHS Trust