Junior doctors in revolt over training reforms

The
rush to reform medical training has created confusion among medical students,
according to the leader of the UK’s junior doctors.

At
the British Medical Association’s (BMA) annual junior doctors’ conference in
London, Simon Eccles pledged to support medical students who decide to boycott
new training programmes because they have inadequate information.

Under
the Government’s ‘Modernising Medical Careers’ plans, from August 2005 the
first two years of junior doctor training are to be replaced with a ‘foundation
programme’.

However,
the BMA fears there is too little information about the content of the second
year of the programmes, or how doctors’ skills will be assessed.

Eccles
said the reforms meant medical students were being expected to apply for their
first jobs without knowing what they’ll be learning, whether or not their
experience will count towards their future training, what they will be paid, or
where they will be based. 

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

"The
BMA will support anyone who wishes to boycott an undefined part of their
foundation programme," he said.

By Michael Millar