Training Resources for Trainers

Criteria for trainer recognition

The GMC uses the Academy of Medical Educators' Professional standards for medical, dental and veterinary educators (2014) as the criteria against which all trainers in recognised roles must provide evidence of their ongoing professional development. Although these standards have since been updated, the GMC still use the 2014 edition for approval and recognition of trainers.

The criteria comprise seven areas:

1. Ensuring safe and effective patient care through training
2. Establishing and maintaining an environment for learning
3. Teaching and facilitating learning
4. Enhancing learning through assessment
5. Supporting and monitoring educational progress
6. Guiding personal and professional development
7. Continuing professional development as an educator.

Local education providers (LEPs), such as hospitals and general practices, provide evidence against the seven areas to show how they identify, train and appraise trainers in each of the four medical trainer roles. LEPs must then notify the relevant NHS England local office who has been approved as a trainer, and NHS England will confirm this to the GMC for recognition on the List of Registered Medical Practitioners (LRMP).

CPD Requirements for Named Supervisors

Whilst the requirements above are important for individuals starting as educational supervisors, it is important that existing educational supervisors remain up to date with new developments in individual curriculum, training programmes, national developments, and new educational theory and methods.

We have agreed the following minimum standards for remaining up to date. These minimum standards need to be repeated every 5 year Revalidation cycle. Please note that there are no specific courses or learning that must be completed in order to act as a supervisor, as long as your learning covers domains 1-4 and 7 above for Clinical Supervisors, or all seven domains above for Educational Supervisors, although LEPs/Schools may set specific requirements specific to the site/department/programme's needs.

1. You must have valid Equality and Diversity training.
2. Your annual appraisal and PDP must reflect your role as an educational supervisor, and you must demonstrate how you are continuing to develop and remain up to date as an educational supervisor. Your PDP should consider evidence of GMC domains 1-4 and 7 (Clinical only)/1-7 (Educational and/or Clinical).
3. Every five-year Revalidation cycle you must attend relevant training courses, masterclasses, education conferences, or other development opportunities, and reflect on this within your appraisal. This should be a minimum of 15 hours of CPD of high quality every five years (we would recommend aiming for eight hours per year). This might include further e-learning rather than face to face learning.
4. While a full day Educational Supervision course may 'kick start' your CPD and role as a trainer, this should not be considered as having met the criteria for the next five years: as a named Supervisor you will need to provide evidence of how you are staying up to date. This also means you should not be expected to attend a specific accrediting course every five years, although you may consider doing so to help ensure that you remain up to date.

Please note that the above are the minimum standards set by NHS England - East Midlands. Local Education Providers (LEPs) may set other requirements for trainers working on behalf of their organisation, providing that the requirements include or exceed the above.

Examples of appropriate courses/CPD activities could include

• Trainers Days/Masterclasses for trainers developed by Specialty Schools
• Attendance, participation and reflection on ARCP panels
• Specific courses run locally such as ARCP chair training etc
• Attendance at national or local trainee recruitment
• Training events delivered by Local Education Providers (Trusts)
• A training event for supervisors delivered by your own Royal College
• Formal Teaching the Teachers courses or modules as part of formal qualifications (Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma, Masters in Medical Education)
• Attendance at specific sessions at education conferences, ASME, AMEE, Medical Education Leaders UK etc
• Applications and membership of accrediting bodies, Academy of Medical Educators, Faculty of Surgical Trainers etc.

Please keep up to date and ensure your role is appraised. 

Equality and Diversity Training

All named clinical and educational supervisors should also remain up to date with equality and diversity training. This needs to be completed every 3 years.

Suggested activities

The list below highlights some courses for trainers to evidence that they are continuing to develop and remain up to date. 

If you attend or complete other quality courses please email us on England.TrainerRecognition.Midlands@nhs.net and we will add to this resource.

e-Learning for Healthcare has excellent learning materials www.eastmidlandsdeanery.nhs.uk/Faculty/GMC_trainers/TrainingResources/e-LfH