Overview of acute medicine
Over the past few years there has been a growing realisation that there is a need for a senior medical presence in medical assessment and admission units (MAUs). This has been manifest by the large number of appointments that have been made to MAUs at consultant and other levels. Until now, however, there has been no formal training structure for those who wish to pursue a career in general internal medicine involving a clinical and managerial leadership role in an MAU. For convenience we refer to this as the subspecialty of acute medicine.
The curriculum for general internal medicine (G(I)M) specifies the skills and competencies that should be acquired by all trainees wanting to work in acute general medicine, but for those who wish to take a lead role in an MAU it was felt that additional competencies should be developed. The curriculum for the subspecialty of acute medicine that has now been approved by the STA has been constructed to take account of this need. The curriculum must be read in association with the curriculum that has already been published for G(I)M and when the competencies defined in both documents are achieved it is anticipated that individuals will be adequately trained to take the lead role in an MAU. Given that that the health service has already perceived a need for such personnel it is hoped that training posts for acute medicine will be created in all deaneries.
