RCP hosts Meet your president session for specialty registrars

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has hosted a special Meet your president session for doctors in specialty training. Chaired by RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel, resident doctors joined the RCP to discuss the future of postgraduate medical training, calling for fairer pathways, better balance between service and training and a stronger focus on culture and supervision.

Resident doctors highlighted the growing gap between the number of medical graduates and available postgraduate training places, warning that this mismatch is driving high competition ratios and uncertainty. Participants told us that a genuine expansion of training posts is needed, rather than the relabelling of existing locally employed roles.

Mumtaz reaffirmed the RCP’s commitment to amplifying resident doctors’ voices through our next generation campaign, resident doctor committees and clinical leadership programmes.

Professor Mumtaz Patel, RCP president said:

‘Resident doctors have been clear about what they need – fairer training pathways, a better balance between service and education, and consistent support wherever they work. Through our next generation campaign and our submission to the medical training review, the RCP is turning those priorities into practical solutions.

‘Training isn’t just about curricula – it’s about culture, supervision and fairness – and our role as the RCP is to amplify doctors’ voices and make sure their real world experiences shape national policy and training reform. That’s why we will continue to work with our members to advocate for change that is fair, practical and grounded in lived experience.’

Applications are now open for our 2026 Chief Registrar Programme

What we heard

Quality of training delivery

Doctors described significant variation between trusts and health boards, with some demonstrating that high quality, balanced training is possible, while others struggle to protect learning time. Many called for clearer principles around the balance between service and training, and for training opportunities to be better embedded into day to day clinical work.

These discussions will feed directly into the RCP’s submission to phase 2 of the medical training review (MTR), which is focused on practical solutions. Participants emphasised the importance of continuity in supervision, feedback and team working, arguing that this allows more senior doctors to tailor learning, offer meaningful careers advice and better support progression.

Download the RCP next gen top 10 priorities for reform of medical training

Finding the balance

General internal medicine (GIM) was a recurring focus. While acknowledged as essential for developing consultant level skills such as prioritisation, risk management and holistic care, GIM was often described as poorly valued and inconsistently delivered. Resident doctors and consultants alike called for a more positive framing of GIM, alongside better designed programmes that balance acute and specialty experience and prepare doctors for consultant practice.

Dr Shruthi Konda, Linacre fellow, said:

‘Those skills you pick up on take – managing risk, prioritisation, difficult conversations – are the skills that will see you through consultant life.’

Equity across career pathways

Doctors working in locally employed or specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) roles stressed the need for consistent supervision, careers advice and recognition of prior experience. With more doctors stepping in and out of training for personal, academic or professional reasons, participants argued that training structures must adapt to modern, non linear careers.

Culture and wellbeing

Concerns were raised about bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, with calls for sustained leadership and action rather than short term initiatives. Speakers highlighted the need to embed professionalism, communication and collaborative skills throughout training, alongside clear expectations and meaningful feedback.