Acute Care Common Stem

Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) is a three year training programme that normally follows Foundation Year two. It is the only Core training programme for trainees wishing to enter Higher specialty training in Emergency Medicine and is an alternative Core training programme for trainees wishing to enter Higher specialty training in Anaesthesia and any of the Specialties listed on the JRCPTB website.

The first two years are spent rotating through Emergency Medicine (EM), Acute Internal Medicine (AIM), Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine (ICM). The third year is spent in training that will ensure the trainee meets the minimum requirements for entry into Higher specialty training in their parent specialty (EM, JRCPTB Specialty, Anaesthetics and also ICM).

The components of training in ACCS are:

  • One year Emergency Medicine and Acute Internal Medicine (six months each)
  • One year Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (six months each)

Aims of ACCS

The aim of ACCS training is to produce multi-competent junior doctors able to recognise and manage the sick patient and who have the complementary specialty training required for Higher specialty training in Emergency Medicine, JRCPTB specialty, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine.

Many of our trainees stay on in Wessex to undertake one of our excellent higher speciality training programmes and then stay to live and work in the region.

For the most up to date information regarding ACCS please visit the Intercollegiate Committee for Acute Care Common Stem Training (ICACCST) website.

ACCS Training Rotations in Wessex

Trainees will spend their first two years in one hospital rotating between the four ACCS specialties.