In-training Reviews

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) - for trainees enrolled on PMST

The Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) is a formalised yearly review of a trainee's progress towards achieving a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) if they are following the CESR combined programme (CESR-CP).

Trainees enrolled onto PMST are required to attend an ARCP each year they are in training. It is mandatory for a trainee to attend their ARCP unless there are extenuating circumstances addressed in writing to the Postgraduate Dean.

Progress in PMST, as judged through the ARCP process, depends on meeting defined criteria set down by the Faculty and Specialist Advisory Committee on Pharmaceutical Medicine (SAC-PM) on behalf of the General Medical Council (GMC) and in the Department of Health's Gold Guide.

The ARCP process is conducted by an appropriately constituted ARCP panel under the auspices of the Postgraduate Dean (PGD) for Pharmaceutical Medicine, who is responsible for quality assuring the training, assessment, appraisal and review of trainees to ensure that they meet the CCT standards laid down by the GMC.

At the ARCP reviews, the panel will review the trainee's records of assessments in training or ePortfolio. The panel will also review the Educational Supervisor's assessment of the trainee's progress and other appraisal reports. Based on these sources of information the Postgraduate Dean will issue an appropriate ARCP outcome indicating either satisfactory progress or continuation in the training programme or a requirement for remedial and/or additional time in training.

The Postgraduate Dean can issue one of nine outcomes:

Outcome	Description
Outcome 1	Satisfactory progress - achieving progress and the development of competencies at the expected rate.
Outcome 2	Development of specific competencies - additional training time not required. Trainee has the right to have decision to issue an outcome reviewed by a different panel.
Outcome 3	Inadequate progress - additional time required. Trainee has the right to appeal the outcome.
Outcome 4	Released from training programme with or without specified competencies. Trainee has the right to appeal the outcome.
Outcome 5	Incomplete evidence presented - additional training time may be required.
Outcome 6	Gained all required competencies - will be recommended as having completed the training programme and for award of a CCT or CESR/CEGPR.
Outcome 7	Fixed-term Specialty Trainee (FTSTAs) or LATs.
Outcome 8	Out of programme for research, approved clinical training or a career break.
Outcome 9	Doctors undertaking top-up training in a training post.

The ARCP is an important process in gaining specialist certification and can be considered a regulatory aspect of evaluating progress, rather than developmental or judgemental.

Record of In-Training Assessment (RITA) - for trainees enrolled on HMT

Trainees following the curriculum in Higher Medical Training (HMT) for Pharmaceutical Medicine attend annual Record of In-Training Assessment (RITA).

The RITA panel is composed of the Postgraduate Dean (or deputy), the Director of Education & Training and two Senior Specialty Advisers (SSAs). It is a requirement that HMT trainees attend their RITA unless there are extenuating circumstances, which are addressed in writing to the Postgraduate Dean.

Following the review of the trainee's evidence and their ES's assessments and other appraisals, the Postgraduate Dean will issue one of the following RITA forms:

RITA

Description

RITA C

Record of Satisfactory Progress within the Specialist Registrar Grade.

RITA D

Recommendation for Targeted Training - Stage 1 of "Required Additional Training". Trainee has the right to appeal decision.

RITA E

Recommendation for Intensified Supervision/Repeated Experience - Stage 2, "Required Additional Training". Trainee has the right to appeal decision.

RITA F

Record of Out-of-Programme Experience.

RITA G

Final Record of Satisfactory Progress.

Further information

For the regulations that govern ARCPs and RITAs please download A Guide to Specialist Registrar Training, February 1998 (‘Orange Guide') for trainees following the HMT curriculum, and A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK, June 2010 (‘Gold Guide') for trainees following either the January 2007 or August 2010 PMST curriculum.