The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) credential in obstetric medicine, which leads to a Professional Diploma in Obstetric Medicine, has been designed for higher specialty trainees with an interest in obstetric medicine, who wish to gain a credential in this specialist area.
This is a learner-led credential. Learners will work with their educational supervisor to plan their learning and identify opportunities to gain the knowledge and expertise required to complete the credential. You will be supported by a named educational supervisor in your Obstetric Medicine approved training centre who will provide support and advice during your training period there. They will provide guidance on how the knowledge and skills developed during the credential might be used when you return to your usual clinical environments.
Applications will open later this year for training in 2025.
Eligibility
Applications to undertake the Professional Diploma in Obstetric Medicine (DipObsMed) are accepted from physicians who:
- are in any medical specialty
- hold the full MRCP diploma
- have successfully completed IMT year 3 training (or equivalent)
- are at ST5 level or above with a national training number in a medical specialty
- are currently, or who have previously been, involved in working on the acute medical take
- are fully registered with the GMC without any restrictions on their practice which could prevent them from completing the credential training or practising as a physician upon completion of the credential.
During the training period, candidates are required to spend a minimum of 50% of their clinical practice time at their obstetric medicine approved training centre.
How will we assess your application?
We will be looking at the following areas:
- Geographic distribution across the country
- Ideally applicants will be able to demonstrate an interest in the specialty through:
- attendance at conferences and webinars
- relevant quality improvement projects or research
- relevant published papers or posters
- experience of obstetric medicine cases in the clinical setting.
We appreciate some candidates may not have access to the above opportunities. So the most important information will be a statement of why you want to train in this area and any relevant experience.
We recommend you talk to your TPD if you are interested in undertaking the diploma. If successful, you will need to arrange to go out of programmes to takeup the training opportunity in an approved obstetric medicine training centre.
(If you are training in one of the devolved nations, please email us on credential@rcp.ac.uk).
Obstetric medicine approved training centres
There are currently four approved training centres and three provisionally approved training centres which are currently undertaking the approval process.
If you are interested in becoming a training centre please email us on credential@rcp.ac.uk
Time commitment
When completed full-time, the RCP DipObsMed runs over a 12-month period. During this period, you will be required to spend a minimum of 50% of your obstetric medicine training at your obstetric medicine approved training centre. Less than full-time candidates may need longer, pro rata, to complete the DipObsMed. The appropriate credential training period will be agreed with your educational supervisor at the start of the credential.
It is recommended that candidates undertaking the DipObsMed should continue to be involved in acute medical on-call, and this commitment will be discussed and agreed locally.
The credential process
It is the responsibility of the candidate to maintain a portfolio of evidence which shows their progress and demonstrates achievement of the credential requirements. All relevant evidence (such as WPBAs, log of cases, reflections) should be available to the educational supervisor, with evidence linked to the obstetric medicine curriculum.
During the credential, candidates must continue to engage in the ARCP process, but assessment of completion of the credential in obstetric medicine will be made by the educational supervisor and a portfolio reviewer.
How to apply
You will need to complete an online application form and provide details of why you want to undertake the RCP Professional Diploma in Obstetric Medicine and what impact completing the training will have on the patients you care for. You will need to demonstrate you meet the eligibility criteria set out above and will be able to preference your first, second and third choices of where you would like to undertake the training.
The application process will be used to select candidates for interview based on their suitability and to ensure geographic distribution.
We recommend you talk to your educational supervisor and training programme director before applying. As you will need to arrange time out of your training programme to undertake the credential in an approved obstetric medicine training centre.
Applications will open later this year for training in 2025.