Shape of Training: the right people with the right skills in the right place

The training of doctors has received a lot of public and professional attention in the last decade with a series of in-depth reviews of various aspects of medical training both in the UK and internationally. 1 2 A common thread in each of these has been to highlight the lack of flexibility in medical training and the slow response of the profession to change. All doctors training in paediatrics in the UK are currently expected to maintain general competencies, ultimately being awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training in General Paediatrics, with additional recognition of subspecialty training for those completing a recognised subspecialty training scheme (under the auspices of the National Training Number Grid Scheme).