Cardiothoracic Surgery

This is a relatively newly restructured programme based around the Cardiothoracic centres in Nottingham and Leicester under auspices of Health Education England, working across the East Midlands.

The East Midlands Training Programme was part of the Trent Training programme and has been a successful programme since its inception after Sheffield joined the Yorkshire programme in 2009. The ST1 programme is offered in partnership with Core Surgical Training Programme South based in Leicester. We are a positive outlier in the GMC JCST surveys of 2017.

This programme is approved for those trainees who wish to become a Specialist Thoracic surgeon, reflected in the internationally recognised higher training in thoracic oncology (lung, pleura and oesophagus) and Specialist Cardiac Surgeon offering various training opportunities in the subspecialisation of cardiac surgery. The programme also offers opportunities in pursuing an academic career in conjunction with the Academic department of Cardiac Surgery and Faculty of Thoracic Oncology in the University of Leicester.

The programme from its inception has been stronger in Thoracic training opportunities with cardiac training limited to ST6 level. The programme has undergone significant changes over recent years brought about by enthusiastic and committed trainers and supported by the School of Surgery and STC at all levels. This has resulted in a rejuvenated cardiac training base and opportunity which resulted in the programme being re accredited by the SAC for complete higher cardiac training in 2016. The programme encourages Cardiac Career oriented trainees to benefit from the training opportunities available in the region.

The programme commences with two years of core surgical training during which the trainee is expected to complete the MRCS exam. This is followed by two years in Core Cardiothoracic Surgery including exposure to Congenital surgery, adult and paediatric ECMO. In addition there is wide exposure to basic adult thoracic and cardiac surgery.

We offer the 1+5 year module advocated by the SAC to maximise training in the chosen branch of the specialty be it Cardiac or Thoracic Surgery.

We have links with the USA, Canada and China with our trainees benefiting from Out of Programme training opportunities. We have attracted trainees from other region coming to our region to gain advance skills in thoracic surgery. Our aim is to give unrivalled comprehensive preparation for the FRCS(CTh) exam and all round preparation for a Consultant Career.