ARCPs and Educational Review Meetings

This section is to ensure that Surgical trainees are aware of the specific requirements and resources available for their Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP). Information and guidance on the ARCP process can be found on our Accreditation and Revalidation pages, which must be used in conjunction with this page.

Core Surgery

Specific Core Surgery evidence and documents required for ARCP are in addition to the documents stated on the Accreditation and Revalidation pages.

ARCPs are held annually in June/July for all Core Surgical trainees. 

All CT1 trainees will have an interim review in February, to check their progress and to ensure that there is engagement with the ISCP. This is a positive exercise for trainees as it provides an opportunity to ask the panel questions, give feedback and spot any problems before the actual ARCPs at the end of the year.

The ISCP website is used to examine the trainees’ electronic portfolios and there should be evidence to show that each trainee is reaching the targets set at the beginning of the year. This therefore means it is imperative for trainees to keep the ISCP website up to date in all areas of their portfolio, in order for the ARCP panel to make an informed decision regarding the outcome of their ARCP.

Specific requirements which need to be achieved by ARCP date are clearly stated in global objectives.

Higher Surgical Specialties

Specific Surgical evidence and documents required for ARCP are in addition to the documents stated on the Accreditation and Revalidation pages

The aim of the ARCP is to review the assessment of your progress and determine whether progress has been satisfactory.

This will take place and a decision regarding your ARCP outcome will be made prior to your educational review meeting.

The aim of the educational review meeting is:

– to inform trainee’s of their ARCP outcome

– to discuss future training requirements

– to allow the trainee the opportunity to provide an evaluation of their current training post

Specific School ARCP Requirements (excl. Ophthalmology):

 Surgery trainees are expected to complete the following for their ARCP:

AES meetings – it is mandatory that the AES section is completed for the full period being assessed and the document is signed off by the trainee and the AES

Up to date CV – uploaded to the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP)

Trainees are required to review the certification guidelines for your specialty and complete any appropriate forms for your level of training and upload these to the evidence section on the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme

Ophthalmology ARCP Requirements

Details of the requirements for your ARCP at each stage of training are detailed on the Royal College of Ophthalmologists website.

Interim Reviews for the School of Surgery (excl. Ophthalmology)

Trainee’s in their first year of ST3 training or CT1 training will have an interim review in the first 6 months of training. This is an opportunity for trainees to meet with the Training Programme Director to talk about their training and review the evidence on the ISCP. This is not an ARCP.