ERS Annual Congress 2011, Amsterdam
Dr Christopher Zammit
Mater Dei Hospital, Malta
5 years of Medical School,
Mater Dei Hospital, Malta
• 2 pre-clinical years
 Anatomy and Physiology
• 3 clinical years at Mater Dei hospital
Structured training with experienced clinicians / academics
Recently constructed
Single General State
Hospital in Malta
Recognized teaching centre
Full range of laboratory /
imaging centre
Adequate library
IT facilities
Numerous sub-specialities centred
in the same location
Good exposure to numerous
medical / surgical cases
First 2 years as Foundation years
• 6 months of general medicine
• 6 months of general surgery
 Choice of medical / surgical specialities depending on
preference, as well as on academic placement
• UK-based foundation program with structured training
 Introduced recently
 On-line portfolio and regular appraisals, DOPs, Mini-CEX
• Acquisition of warrant and licence to practise
• Name placed in the EU list of the Medical Council of Malta
2 years full-time Medical BST:
• Following the Foundation years
• General professional basic training
• Prior to period of higher specialist trainee (HST)
• Application by interview basis / CV presentation
4-month rotations in medical specialities
 Ward rounds and medical out-patients
 Diverse bed-side procedures as recommended by UEMS
-European union of medical specialists
 On-call duties outside normal working hours
 Unselected acute medical admissions
 Emergency ward cover
4-hours per week protected time
 Weekly teaching “Grand Rounds”
 Weekly teaching academic lectures
 E-learning management system with online lectures
 Speciality journal clubs
 Radiology multi-disciplinary team meetings (MDTs)
• Local and foreign conferences /courses
• Involved in audits, studies, publications and local
protocol guidelines
• Completion of MRCP post-graduate examination
as evidence of completion of training.
Weekly tutorials
“Mock examination”
• BLS / ALS certification
• Clinical and academic log-book
• Satisfactory consultant appraisals
4 years as Respiratory HST
 Application by interview basis / CV presentation
 Not an automatic progression
 Competitive
 Requires certificate of completion BST (CCBST)
 Full registration with the EU medical council of Malta
4 years as Respiratory HST
:
Respiratory and General Medicine
 General and respiratory ward rounds / out-patients
 1 year rotations between respiratory consultants
 Yearly appraisals by consultant / clinical supervisor
 Introduction of a separate mentor, changed every 2 years
 Minimum requirement of on-call duties performed
Sub-speciality clinics
• Asthma clinic
• Sleep clinic
• Rapid-access lung cancer clinic
• TB clinic
Opportunities for inter-speciality consultations
 Cardiothoracic surgery, oncology / radiotherapy
 Weekly Flexible Bronchoscopy sessions
 Thoracocentesis / Intercostal chest drain insertion
 Introducing Thoracic ultrasound
 Spirometry
 Ventilatory support / NIV
 4 month ICU rotations Exposure to critical care respiratory medicine
Minimum of 4 hours per week protected time
 Twice monthly respiratory journal clubs
 Weekly Medical Grand Rounds
 Monthly tutorials by respiratory consultants
 Monthly respiratory meetings
 Monthly radiology MDT meetings
Encouraged to teach
Medical students, Foundation year, BST doctors
•
Expected to publish and present
• Minimum of 2 audits and 1 publication per trainee
•
Encouraged to attend local / international
educational courses / conferences
•
Opportunities to travel abroad
for research / work experience
•
Prospects for M Phil, Ph D, MSc
Funding / Financial Aid
•
•
•
Study leave
CME funding
Post-graduate funding
•
•
support for educational courses
presentation of posters abroad
Certificate of completion Specialist Trainee (CCST)
 Satisfactory yearly appraisals
 Full academic / clinical log-book
 Theoretical / Exit examination (MRCP college exam
/ HERMES) at the end of the specialization
Specialist Accreditation Committee (SAC)
Regulatory board for specialist training program