Curriculum Updates

10 September 2021 Minor amendment to descriptors of Learning Outcome AER16 – the word ‘resilience’ has been removed.

23 March 2018  Clarification on simulation added to Learning Outcome SS8.

6 October 2017 Clarification on refractive surgery added to Learning Outcome PM16.

9 June 2017 Minor amendments made to a number of Learning Outcomes: PM1, PM2, PM4, PM7, PM8, PM10, PM12, and PM18.

12 September 2016 Whole curriculum reformatted following GMC approval on 5 August 2016. Learning Outcomes are presented with shortened descriptors, a more user-friendly layout and an informative summary. The Study Guide has been decoupled and replaced by a short Resources section.

New Entrustable Professional Activity tool for managing a cataract operating list (EPA1). New DOPS for Biometry Skills (DOPSBi).
Learning Outcomes PI8 and PI9 merged.  OST Assessment Blueprint document updated.

11 May 2016 Curriculum amended following GMC approval on 27 April 2016. SS4 updated to mandate that e-portfolios must contain by the end of training an audit of at least 50 consecutive cataract cases where the surgery is performed within three calendar years of the CCT date. HS9 updated to highlight the importance of developing competence in supervising juniors. It is normal or expected that an average doctor in training will need to have supervised around 20 procedures to achieve competence in supervising juniors in surgical procedures, which may include supervision of simulated surgery.

16 January 2015 Updated following GMC approval on 19 December 2014. Key updates include: the removal of CA4 (and associated requirement for CRS4 assessment); the removal of CA14 and CA15 (assimilated into CA11); changes to Clinical Rating Scale (CRS10) assessment form for CA10.  PI15 has also been removed as a learning outcome. Amendments have been made to the OSATS1 assessment form and CbD assessment form.

24 July 2014 Information on Acting up as a Consultant has been added to the Programme Delivery section.

24 March 2014 Key updates include reduction of annual requirement of CbDs (previously 12, now 10) and amendments to CA1 (now ‘conduct a consultation’) to better reflect what is expected.

19 December 2012 A number of enhancements and clarifications have been made to the Study Guide. Cataract surgery audit requirements have been clarified (SS4 and DMCRJ3).

29 July 2011 A number of enhancements and clarifications have been made to the Study Guide. PS7 (cryotherapy) has been removed from the curriculum in its own right but can still be assessed under SS7 (lid surgery) if appropriate. The TYA for SS15 (IOP laser) and SS16 (retina laser) have been changed, trainees are still required to get 2 assessments signed off for each in ST3, but rather than being reviewed annually in subsequent years they are required to achieve 6 assessments during ST4-7. All CRS WpBA forms and the OSATS1 form have been enhanced.

1 August 2010 Minor amendments made to a number of Learning Outcomes, and to the Study Guide. Please see linked documents for full details. Of note is the TYA for PS6 (Diathermy) has been changed from ST3 to ST7 and for SS7 (Perform surgical management of lid problems) trainees are still required to achieve this in ST2, but rather than being reviewed annually in subsequent years they are required to achieve 6 assessments during ST4-7.

7 January 2010 Assessment Blueprint document updated.

30 July 2009 Amended wording of learning outcome and study guide SS1 from ‘Demonstrate a wide range of microsurgical skills’ to ‘Demonstrate a wide range of surgical skills’.

14 January 2009 Learning outcome SS6 wording amended from: All trainees must be able to perform surgical repair of the cornea, sclera, eyelids, canaliculi and conjunctiva. They must understand the principles of canalicular repair and must recognise when subspecialist referral is required. The technique of repair will be determined by clinical indications and current surgical practice. They must recognise when management requires expert referral. They must be able to adapt their technique according to pre-operative findings. They must be able to manage intra-operative and post-operative complications.

Amended study guide for learning outcome SS4 to contain more information on the complex cataract cases trainees are expected to have managed in the later stages of training.

29 September 2008 Added new information on indicative cataract surgical numbers during the early and later stages of training to the Study Guide for SS4. Also changed learning outcome SS11 Biopsy of the temporal artery from a year 3 to a year 7 outcome target.

25 September 2008 Added new resources to Study Guides for: CA8; PM7; PM11; PS21; HPDP10; C5IH2; AER2; AER5; AER8; AER9; AER10; AER13; AER14; HS5; HS10; and all CPD learning outcomes.

14 July 2008 Amended several WpBA forms; CRS2, CRS3, CRS4, CRS5, CRS6, CRS7, CRS8, CRS9, CRS10, CRSret, OSATS2, and OSTS3 to remove the sentence (Note: “Pass requires an overall assessment grade of “Good” and no individual “Poor” grades).

For each of the WpBA forms there are two main scoring sections; the first as the descriptors “poor”, “fair” etc. This section was never intended for anything other than feedback to trainees and is purely formative. The section contains the summative assessment (“pass”, “fail” or “meets expectations/does not meet expectations for the stage of training”. It is this section that determines whether a trainee needs to repeat the assessment. There was never an intention that a “poor” or two “fails” automatically leads to overall failure. The person who decides on the overall summative assessment is the assessor. However, the assessor should be prepared to justify a pass if there were lots of “poor” scores on the WBA sheet and vice versa.

14 July 2008 List of learning outcomes assessed by MSF amended to include PS1 it had been omitted in the original list of outcomes assessed by MSF but was noted correctly in the learning outcome itself.

14 May 2008 Communications Study Guide amended for C1, C2 and C3.

26 February 2007 Annual Assessment Guidance page has been updated. This gives information on what you need to achieve at each level of OST.

26 February 2007 New Learning Outcome added AER16 Able to manage time effectively and deal with stress.

5 February 2007 FAQs now on main College website.  Programme Delivery section amended.

3 October 2007 added a second version of the Assessment Blueprint mapping the curriculum outcomes to Good Medical Practice.