What is a Fellowship Post?

A fellowship post is a 12-month period of additional training, beyond that available during Higher Specialist Training.

The post will offer

• A structured educational experience designed to deliver the requirements of a particular subspecialty which are not readily available within HST
• A supervisor with authority and accountability for the fellowship post
• Opportunities for audit and research
• An enhanced salary

Where appropriate, the post will fulfil training body requirements and HSE employment requirements for consultant posts.

All posts are recruited, evaluated and approved by the appropriate training body.

Please note, these hospital funded posts will most likely be created by the conversion of existing SpR or non-training posts. We are unable to guarantee availability of posts on an annual basis as approval is only ever valid for 12 months. Fellowship posts will not necessarily be occupied each year.

Training bodies are supported and funded by HSE NDTP.

Entry Requirements

You must have successfully completed the RCPI Higher Specialist Training programme within the last two years. So, if you would like to take up a Fellowship post in July 2021, you must have completed HST in July 2019 or later.

What are the steps required for a Post CSCST Fellowship to be approved?

1,  Post CSCST Fellowships can be identified by the National Specialty Director or an approved trainer in the specialty.

2,  Written confirmation is required from the hospital where the post is located of a guarantee of the salary for the Post CSCST Fellowship prior to seeking approval from HSE NDTP or development of a curriculum. The Post CSCST salaries are set at the 7th or highest point of the SpR scale.

3,  A Clinical Lead is appointed by the NSD/Specialty Training Committee.

4,  The Lead will work with the Education team in RCPI to develop an overview of the Post CSCST Fellowship (for approval from HSE NDTP) and curriculum for the Post CSCST Fellowship.

5,  The Post CSCST Fellowship and curriculum must be agreed and approved by the Specialty Training Committee.

6,  When a suitable post arises (vacant SpR/Reg/Locum post) a HSE Approval Application Form and supporting documentation is completed by the appointed Clinical Lead. RCPI will then submit this to the HSE NDTP for approval.

7,  Once approval is confirmed from HSE NDTP, the post is advertised, and interviews are held to appoint the fellow.

8,  A Register of approved Post CSCST Fellowships will be listed on the RCPI website.

9,  Appointed Fellow is treated the same way as a Trainee on the SpR programme, they will record their training, complete an end of year evaluation and receive a certificate of completion.

Please note

• Doctors eligible to be appointed into a Post CSCST Fellowship must have completed their HST training through an RCPI training programme.
• Post CSCST fellowships are ordinarily for one year however they can be split over two years (50% training per year) and should ordinarily start in line with the HST SpRs (July – July)
• Training is ordinarily in the one location however there may be an option to split training over two or three sites with prior approval from each site & the HSE NDTP