About the KSS Acute Internal Medicine training programme
The HEE KSS training programme in Acute Internal Medicine (AIM) is a 4 year programme, leading to dual accreditation in the specialty together with General (Internal) Medicine (GIM). It can also be combined with Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) and Stroke Medicine. The programme is led by Nik Patel, Head of School, and the Training Programme Directors (TPDs), Nikhil Bhatia and Gareth Watts. To find out more about their roles visit the Meet the Team webpage
The programme is one of the largest in the country and is constantly developing to meet the needs of trainees – as well as rising to the healthcare mandates and changing patient needs. With more Acute Medicine Consultant posts being advertised than any other specialty, now is the time to get involved in this exciting and dynamic specialty.
By choosing to train in Kent, Surrey & Sussex, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad experience in several medical specialities required for your training but also to experience placements in first class acute medical units within the region. The Kent, Surrey and Sussex area is one of the most stunning places in the country to live and work. With the rolling downs, beautiful coastline and easy access to the capital it remains a highly desirable location for doctors in training.
By combining experience in district general hospitals along with teaching hospital posts you can gain the experience and skills required to be an excellent acute physician. . Trainees generally rotate through four one-year posts during the program. Each year normally comprises of 6 months of acute medicine and 6 months of Cardiology, Geriatrics, Intensive care or Respiratory Medicine.
With the introduction of the new AIM curriculum in 2022, all trainees now have the opportunity to develop their Point of Care Ultrasound skills. Trainees will be allocated one day per week during their ST4/5 years to support this. KSS holds regular ultrasound training days as part of our regional training day program and we are fortunate to have FAMUS supervisors throughout the region who are available to both teach and remotely review training scans. KSS has purchased several portable ultrasound devices to assist AIM trainees working in trusts with limited ultrasound access.
During ST 6/7 Trainees have the opportunity to enhance their Acute Medicine training with the development of a specialty skill that would not normally be gained in the standard curriculum. (Full list available here: Specialty Skills for AIM 2022 Curriculum_1.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)). These skills are designed to enhance the trainees’ acute medicine abilities and make them highly sought-after Consultant Acute Physicians. Again, trainees will be allocated one day per week to support this. Previous KSS trainees have gained capabilities in the following specialist skills:
Echo (FUSIC Heart and / or BSE level 1)
Stroke medicine
Simulation training
Medical Education
Medical leadership (RCP Chief Registrar)
Research
Infectious disease and tropical medicine
Structured training
KSS trainees have a curriculum-mapped regional training day program which covers all core requirements of the Acute Medicine curriculum, required to pass the Acute Internal Medicine SCE (Acute Medicine | MRCPUK). These monthly sessions are a mixture of online speciality days (e.g. cardiology, maternal medicine etc) supplemented by in person practical sessions for ultrasound, SIM, Research and management skills. The training days are organised and led by the trainees under the guidance of their Educational Supervisors and the support of the Training Programme Director and the School of Medicine. There is a regional KSS/RCP Acute Medicine meeting once per year which will be an opportunity to present and discuss interesting clinical problems, showcase excellent and innovative practice within the region, and also network with colleagues. Trainees are also encouraged to attend the bi-annual Society of Acute medicine conferences (Society for Acute Medicine).
Further Information about the AIM curriculum and programme can be found at Acute Internal Medicine (AIM) | JRCPTB
Where do we provide training?
Our posts are organised into 3 geographical sub-rotations, although individual rotations will be mapped to trainees’ needs. National Training Numbers (NTNs) will usually be advertised as either the East, West or South Coast rotation, with exact hospital placements and overall rotation through the programme being confirmed with the trainee by the Training Programme Directors. The structure of the programme and the placements are reviewed and informed by trainee feedback, ensuring that the programme responds to the needs of trainees.
The tables below highlights the locations of rotations and specialties available (correct as November 2023):
| Hospital | Specialties available | Hospital | Specialty | |
| KENT | QEQM (Margate) | AMU/geriatrics (hybrid) | Tunbridge Wells (Pembury) and Maidstone Hospital | AMU (both sites) Cardiology (Pembury) Respiratory (Maidstone) |
| Medway | AMU ICM | William Harvey (Ashford) | AMU | |
| SURREY | East Surrey (Redhill) | AMU Geriatrics Respiratory | Royal Surrey (Guildford) | Geriatrics ICM |
| Frimley Park | AMU Cardiology | St Peter’s (Chertsey) | AMU | |
| SUSSEX | Princess Royal (Haywards Heath) | Geriatrics Respiratory | St Richard’s (Chichester) | AMU Cardiology |
| East Sussex (Eastbourne) | AMU Cardiology | Worthing | AMU Geriatrics | |
| Royal Sussex (Brighton) | AMU Cardiology ICM Respiratory |
Kent, Surrey and Sussex map for AIM Programme rotation
Broadly speaking, the rotations are split as below:
Kent (East)
Maidstone Hospital, Maidstone – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway – Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
William Harvey Hospital, Ashford – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother Hospital, Margate – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
Kent (East)
Maidstone Hospital, Maidstone – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway – Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
William Harvey Hospital, Ashford – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother Hospital, Margate – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
Surrey and Frimley (West)
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey – Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley – Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
East Surrey Hospital, Redhill – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Sussex (South)
Eastbourne District General Hospital, Eastbourne – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Worthing Hospital, Worthing – Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester – Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
To find out more about each training location, please visit the Local Education Provider webpage.
Within this framework, we aim where possible for rotations to be family-friendly, and to minimise the need for travel or relocation during the programme. Typically, you can expect to spend all 4 years of your training within your geographical region. The final year (ST7) is an opportunity to consolidate your training with a view towards planning your post-CCT career, and we will aim to place trainees in a centre that is best placed to meet these needs.
The below example demonstrates a typical South Coast rotation: –
AIM rotation example
ST4 Worthing (AMU / Geriatrics) —-> ST5 Chichester (Cardiology / AMU) —-> ST6 Brighton (ITU / AMU) —-> ST7 Haywards Heath (Geriatrics / AMU)
You will be invited to give your preferences for placements at recruitment and at the annual interim review, but the TPDs will need to ensure above all that placements meet your individual training needs while at the same time maintaining overall programme balance.
AIM curriculum
The Acute Internal Medicine (AIM) | JRCPTB curriculum in conjunction with the General Internal Medicine (GIM) | JRCPTB curriculum provides a comprehensive outline of requirements and allows trainees to achieve CCTs in Acute Internal Medicine and General Internal Medicine.
The curriculum is integral to the e-Portfolio and all the assessment requirements are mapped against it. All competences must be supported by evidence of your learning, and your Educational or Clinical Supervisor must review and sign off each of these competencies via e-Portfolio.
It is essential that Acute Internal Medicine trainees and their trainers understand this curriculum, as the whole programme is based on it.
The ‘Acute Internal Medicine ARCP Decision Aid ‘ and the ‘GIM ARCP Decision Aid’ gives a summary of what is required of Acute Internal Medicine trainees during each training year. This must be completed in order for a satisfactory outcome to be issued.
Important links/documents:
AIM curriculum 2022
AIM 2022 curriculum FINAL July 2022_0.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)
GIM curriculum 2022
Internal Medicine (Stage 2) 2022 curriculum FINAL 200522_0.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)
AIM ARCP decision aid
AIM 2022 ARCP Decision Aid FINAL.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)
GIM ARCP decision aid
IMS2 ARCP Decision Aid 2022 150921.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)
AIM Specialty Skills list 2023
AIM specialty skills FINAL.pdf (jrcptb.org.uk)
Focussed Acute Medicine Ultrasound
FAMUS – Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound – Society for Acute Medicine
Gold Guide (overall guide to specialty training)
Gold Guide 8th Edition March 2020
Study leave FAQs (including course lists and how to apply)
SuppoRTT (support for those returning to training from a break)
Professional Support Unit (support for any trainee who needs it – self referral)