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Specialty registrar (often abbreviated as SpR) is a stage of postgraduate medical training in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It follows the two-year Foundation Programme which all UK medical graduates must undertake. Specialty registrars are supervised by consultants until they are deemed competent to practice independently.

History

The term "specialty registrar" was introduced in 2007 as part of the Modernising Medical Careers programme (MMC). It replaced the terms "senior house officer" (SHO) and "specialist registrar" (SpR), which were used under the previous training system.

Training

Specialty registrar training lasts between three and seven years, depending on the specialty. The training involves a series of rotations in different departments within the chosen specialty, as well as periods of on-call duty.

Specialty registrars are expected to take part in regular clinical audits and to contribute to teaching and training of the medical team and students. They are also expected to undertake a research project as part of their training.

Progression

On successful completion of specialty registrar training, the doctor is awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and is eligible to apply for consultant posts.

See also

• Medical education in the United Kingdom
• Postgraduate medical training