Obstetrics and Gynaecology Trainee Information

Special Interest Training Modules (SITMs)

SITMs provide advanced, specialised training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. There are seven obstetric modules and 14 gynaecology modules available in the SITM programme.

Key information for SITMs

Two completed SITMs are required to gain CCT
One SITM can be undertaken from ST5
A second SITM can only be started once you have achieved MRCOG
SITM training time is protected from ST6
Only two SITMs can be undertaken concurrently. One must be completed before registering for another.
There are three foundation SITMs: these are only mandatory if you want to undertake one of the five relevant contingent SITMs.

Available SITMs

Obstetric	Registration requirement
Fetal Care (F)	Core USS must be completed
Prenatal Diagnosis	Requires Fetal Care
Pregnancy Care (F)
Maternal Medicine	Requires Pregnancy Care
Premature Birth Prevention
Perinatal Mental Health
Supportive Obstetrics

Gynaecology	Registration Requirements
Gynaecology Surgical Care (F)
Management of complex non-malignant disease	Requires Gynae Surgical Care Competitive Entry
Oncology	Requires Gynae Surgical Care
Subfertility
Chronic Pelvic Pain
Colposcopy
Complex early pregnancy and non-elective gynaecology	Core USS must be completed
Therapeutic Hysteroscopy
Menopause Care
Paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
Robotic assisted gynaecology surgery	Requires Gynae surgical care
Safe practice in abortion care
Urogynaecology and vaginal surgery
Vulval disease

The definitive curricula document for SITMs is available here.

How do I decide on which SITM to take?

Each region of Scotland offers SITM placements, although these differ in the different individual units. Please see these links for information about the provision in South East, East, North and West of Scotland.

You will be offered career advice through discussion with your educational and clinical supervisors during intermediate training. The combination of SITMs taken should be discussed during your ST4 ARCP and supervisor meetings to enable local planning of educational programmes and workforce numbers.

Specific information and advice can be sought from the SITM Directors in the individual regions.

How is the SITM curriculum structured?

Capabilities in Practice – Each CIP is supported by the key skills expected to be demonstrated by an O&G doctor who has completed the SITM. Each key skill has a set of descriptors intended to help trainees/trainers judge the minimum level of knowledge, skills and attributes demonstrated by O&G trainees completing the SITM. Each CIP also lists the knowledge criteria relevant to that CIP
Procedures – all the procedures expected to be experienced during the SITM are listed with an indication of the level expected by the end of training
SITM Courses - For some SITMs attendance at courses is mandatory or highly recommended – information about the courses can be found on the RCOG webpage for each SITM accessed here through the main SITM page.

How do I achieve the training requirements?

SITMs are designed to be delivered within the normal working week at both district general and tertiary hospitals. Some SITMs have curriculum requirements which can only be obtained in a tertiary hospital so it is important to discuss your preferences with your supervisors and SITM directors to allow placement in the appropriate unit.

SITM training is delivered by:

SITM Educational supervisors
SITM Preceptors – responsible for the overall deanery-wide provision and quality control of their SITM ensuring appropriate educational support and assessment.

Click here for a list of preceptors for East, South-East, West and North regions

SITM Directors – responsible for all SITMs within the deanery including the standard and delivery of training. The director must sign all SITM registration forms and acts as the link between the deanery and the RCOG.

How is the SITM assessed?

Towards the end of the training year, trainees will assess their own progression for each CIP and record this on the ePortfolio. The SITM supervisor will then review the evidence in the ePortfolio including workplace-based assessments, the TO2 and the trainee’s self-assessment. The global judgement is added to the Educational Supervisor Report.

How do I register for an SITM?

Registering for an SITM

Complete the SITM registration form (this form requires signatures from the SITM Educational Supervisor in charge of that ATSM, the SITM preceptor and the SITM Deanery Director
Send the completed form to the Trainees’ Coordinator at the RCOG (Email: specialinterest@rcog.org.uk)
Pay the SITM Registration Fee: on receipt of the registration form for the SITM the RCOG will set up the online payment for the fee

How do I complete an SITM?

Once the SITM is complete you need to complete the notification of completion of training form which will be signed by your SITM Educational Supervisor, the SITM preceptor and the SITM Deanery Director and the completed form send to the Trainees’ coordinator at the RCOG (Email: specialinterest@rcog.org.uk)

Update to the page labelled ATSM Directors

Home Trainee information Obstetrics and Gynaecology Trainee Information Training Advanced Training ATSM Directors

This page should now be labelled SITM Directors and Preceptors.

Can you please put SITM director pictures and info at the top, then region by region links or information?

Each region will need to update their own list - so perhaps for now the page could be further subdivided to 4 pages, one for each region.

For South East information should read.

South East

The SITM Director for South East Scotland is Dr Lesley Curry (lesley.curry2@nhs.scot).

The preceptors for SITMs are as below:

Available SITMs

Obstetric	Preceptor
Fetal Care (F)	Dr Sarah Cooper, RIE sarah.cooper@nhs.scot
Prenatal Diagnosis	Dr Sarah Cooper, RIE sarah.cooper@nhs.scot
Pregnancy Care (F)	Dr Hanan Mustafa, RIE hanan.mustafa@nhs.scot
Maternal Medicine	Dr Claire Alexander, RIE claire.alexander@nhs.scot
Premature Birth Prevention	Dr Kirsty Dundas and Dr Alastair Campbell, RIE Kirsty.Dundas@nhs.scot; Alastair.Campbell@nhs.scot
Perinatal Mental Health	TBC
Supportive Obstetrics	TBC

Gynaecology	Preceptor
Gynaecology Surgical Care (F)	Dr Karen Rose karen.rose@nhs.scot
Management of complex non-malignant disease	Dr Stuart Jack Stuart.Jack@nhs.scot
Oncology	Dr Scott Fegan scott.fegan@nhs.scot
Subfertility	Dr Maya Chetty, RIE Maya.Chetty@nhs.scot
Chronic Pelvic Pain	Prof Andrew Horne, RIE andrew.horne@nhs.scot
Colposcopy	Dr Alison Macleod, SJH Alison.Macleod14@nhs.scot
Complex early pregnancy and non-elective gynaecology	Prof Colin Duncan, Dr Karen Rose, RIE w.c.duncan@ed.ac.uk; karen.rose@nhs.scot
Therapeutic Hysteroscopy	Dr Jonathan Chamberlain, RIE Jonathan.Chamberlain@nhs.scot
Menopause Care	Dr Ellen Golightly, Chalmers Ellen.Golightly@nhs.scot
Paediatric and adolescent gynaecology	Dr Shiona Coutts, SJH shiona.coutts@nhs.scot
Robotic assisted gynaecology surgery	Not yet available
Safe practice in abortion care	Prof Sharon Cameron, Chalmers Sharon.Cameron4@nhs.scot
Urogynaecology and vaginal surgery	Dr Julia Wilkens, SJH Julia.Wilkens@nhs.scot
Vulval disease	Dr Jacqui Laurie Jacqui.Laurie@nhs.scot

SIPMs

Clinical Research

Prof Colin Duncan, RIE

w.c.duncan@ed.ac.uk;

Medical Education

Prof Colin Duncan, RIE

w.c.duncan@ed.ac.uk;

Leadership and Management

Dr Lesley Curry, Fife

lesley.curry2@nhs.scot

This page was last updated on: 18.10.2024 at 10.17

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