Kuwait Institute for
Medical Specialization
Ministry of Health, Kuwait
Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) is
the authority of the Ministry of Health, State of Kuwait,
that is responsible for planning all aspects of
postgraduate training of medical and other health
professionals in Kuwait. It organises the internship
training of recently qualified medical graduates, and
speciality level and continuing education programmes
for all health professionals.
In fulfilling its aim of providing speciality level training
in the different fields of medicine, KIMS has established
a number of Faculties and Committees, which initiate
and coordinate postgraduate training. They are in
Internal Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics &
Gynaecology, Family Medicine, Laboratory Medicine,
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Anesthesia and
Radiology, and Dentistry. This booklet gives an outline
of the training programme in Radiology. Registration in
the programmes is open to doctors practising in Kuwait
as well to those based in institutions in the other GCC
countries subject to availability. Interested readers are
requested to contact KIMS, for additional information
on the programme described here, or for details of other
activities organised in the speciality.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction -------------------------------------------
1
Part I Training ----------------------------------------
1
Part II Training ---------------------------------------
4
Post-Fellowship Training ---------------------------
7
INTRODUCTION
The training programme is a structured programme that
leads to the Fellowship of the Faculty of Radiology of
the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (FFR, RCSI)
or of the Royal College of Radiologist, United Kingdom
(FRCR) or both. The Departments of Radiology,
Mubarak, Al-Amiri and Al-Sabah hospitals have been
recognised for postgraduate fellowship training since
1986. The specialty of Clinical Radiology includes all
aspects of medical imaging and Interventional radiology.
The training consists of two parts.
PART I TRAINING
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All trainees must be medically qualified and must have
had a minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience,
including the pre-registration one year house officer’s
appointment. They must also be successful in an
interview conducted jointly by KIMS and the Faculty of
the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.
The period of training lasts for a minimum 9 months and
comprises Physics, Radiological Anatomy and
Radiological techniques.
The important aspects of the Part I training are as
follows:
a.
Clearly defined structure with constant supervision
of the trainee by tutors
b.
Didactic lectures and teaching sessions by lecturers
from Dublin, supplemented by recognised local
tutors
c.
Short periods of rotation in the various
subspecialties e.g. Interventional radiology, Nuclear
medicine etc.
d. Log Books
These are mandatory for documenting all procedures
conducted and/or observed by the trainee. They play
a very important role in the assessment of trainees.
e. Continuous assessment
The progress of trainees is evaluated by regular
assessment. Evaluation is by a points system, based
on the following criteria: attendance, punctuality,
enthusiasm; diligence, MCQs, Log Book, and a
mock examination. Any trainee who scores less than
50 points out of a maximum possible of 100 points,
after a period of 3 months will be required to
withdraw from the programme.
f.
A mock examination is conducted by the Faculty of
the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland one month
before the Part I Examination.
g. At the end of the Part I training, the trainee should
feel convinced of the correctness of his or her choice
of Clinical Radiology as a career. He or she should
have become fully familiar with the concepts and
terminology of diagnostic and Interventional
radiology, and he or she should have become
familiar and have good knowledge of the various
contrast media and drugs, their indications and
contraindications, and in the treatment of their
reactions and complications. He/She should be fully
conversant with the principles of radiation
protection,
cardiopulmonary
resuscitation,
Ultrasonography, computed topography (CT) and
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). He/She should
have become competent in performing radiological
and radiograhic procedures, in basic reporting and
basic clinical audit.
PART I FFR/FRCR EXAMINATION
The trainee will be examined in Physics, Radiology
Anatomy and Radiological techniques. The examination
consists of MCQs, essay, film viewing and orals. The
examination is held in Dublin and Kuwait
simultaneously.
PART II TRAINING
Part II training is usually commenced after the
successful completion of Part I.
The training is structured and is conducted in the 3
recognised hospitals. During this period, training is
given in all specialties of Clinical Radiology, the
framework of which includes the following:
1. Didactic lectures and teaching sessions in all aspects
of clinical radiology, ie General Radiology, systembased specialities and technique based specialities.
Lecturers from the Irish faculty and local tutors
participate in these teaching sessions.
2. Rotation in designated hospitals for the acquisition
of experience in the various subspecialities. The
period of rotation varies, but is usually between 4 to
8 weeks. The present rotation schedule which is
subject to alteration is as follows :
HOSPITAL
SUBSPECIALTY
KCCC
Mubarak
Nuclear Medicine, Oncology
Interventional Radiology, Nuclear
Medicine
MRI
Neuroradiology, Paediatric Radiology
Cardiovascular Radiology including
Echocardiography
Obstetric and Gynaecologic Radiology
Amiri
IBN Sina
Chest Disease
Maternity
Razi
Trauma and Musculoskeletal
Radiology
The Chairman of Faculty and Programme Coordinator
may designate any other hospital for rotation and
subspecialty training if he considers it appropriate.
3. Regular assessment of all trainees to determine the
experience gained, and skill developed, to identify
and correct any deficiencies in knowledge and
experience and to offer appropriate counseling.
Standard assessment forms are available.
4.
Daily departmental duties:
These form an integral and very important part of the
structured training. At all stages, the trainee is rigidly
supervised by tutors and senior members of staff. In
this way, the trainee achieves confidence in
interpreting radiographs and in performing
radiological and radiographic procedures including
modern
cross-sectional
imaging.
Morning
departmental and other inter-departmental meetings
form part of this training.
5.
On-Call rota:
The trainee participates in his or her department’s
on-call rota and he or she is responsible to the Senior
colleague or consultant on-call.
6.
Reading:
The trainee is expected to supplement his/her
standard reading (Sutton and/or Allison and
Grainger) with journals e.g. Radiologic Clinics of
North America, Clinical Radiology etc and other
appropriate texts.
7.
AFIP:
Trainees may attend the six-weeks AFIP course in
the United States as part of the Part II Training.
PART II FFR/FRCR EXAMINATION
At the end of the 2 years part II training the trainee is
eligible to sit for the Part II FFR/FRCR Examination.
The FFR Part II (Ireland) involves Clinical Radiology
and consists of MCQs, Essay, Reporting Session, Film
viewing and Orals. The Part II FRCR (United Kingdom)
consists of two parts, A and B. Part A (Written) is
MCQs only. Part B which can be taken 6 months after
Part A consists of Reporting Session, Film Viewing
Session and Orals.
Trainees taking the Part II examination must:
a. Have attained the appropriate level of knowledge in
all aspects of Clinical Radiology, Interventional
Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.
b. Have good knowledge in clinical medicine,
pathology and physiology relevant to Radiology.
c. Be familiar with current trends and recent advances
in Clinical Radiology.
d. Be familiar with basic research methodology,
clinical audit, medical ethics and communication
skills.
POST-FELLOWSHIP TRAINING
After obtaining the FFRRCSI and/or the FRCR, which
are exit qualifications, a further 2 years of post
fellowship structured training is required to qualify as a
Specialist/Consultant Radiologist. In other words, a
minimum period of 5 years of structured training is
required to qualify for a specialist/consultant post.
During the 2-year period, the trainee continues to
acquire further wide experience in Clinical Radiology.
Six months of this period is spent in one or two
subspecialty training. Trainees who wish to be
committed full time to only one subspecialty will spend
a minimum of one year or preferably 2 years in the said
subspecialty.
Post-fellowship training in Kuwait will depend on the
availability of suitable facilities and consultants.