An Insight into the Diploma in Urgent Medical Care

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Former Chair of The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (FPHC), and current FRRHH Executive Committee member, Colville Laird shares his insight into the Diploma in Urgent Medical Care. In his blog he explains how this qualification may be of interest to remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare practitioners.

RCSEd's Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (FPHC) has just completed the third diet of its multi-professional Diploma in Urgent Medical Care. This qualification is unique, for several reasons, including accreditation of prior learning. This qualification may be of interest to remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare practitioners.

Introduction

Many practitioners involved in remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare will provide urgent care for their patients and may be interested in this development with RCSEd. The exam aims to provide opportunities for experienced urgent care clinicians, to evidence their professional development, as few of these are available. It is important to stress this exam is not designed as a qualification to provide urgent care. It aims to help experienced urgent care practitioners develop themselves in ways that improve and develop provision and provide support to their less experienced colleagues.

Aims

FPHC worked with other Colleges, to develop the sub-specialty of pre-hospital emergency medicine. Pre-hospital emergency medicine is an integral part of various systems which have been recognised to improve outcomes. These include, the chain of survival and regional trauma systems throughout the UK. It was felt that there were similarities between this work and the provision of urgent medical care and that the learning from this work could be applied to and be beneficial for the provision of urgent medical care.

Format

The exam is currently open to applications from nurses, paramedics and doctors. It consists of two, ninety minute, single best answer multiple choice question papers and a three hour structured oral examination consisting of 12 stations.

Syllabus and History

In preparing for the approval of a new sub-specialty, a curriculum had to be developed which covered all the clinical, professional, organisational, technological, legal and ethical subjects required to practice pre-hospital emergency medicine. The experience from this application was used to develop a comprehensive curriculum and syllabus for urgent medical care. The examination is therefore designed to encourage candidates to consider all factors required for the high quality provision of urgent medical care. In doing so it encourages practitioners to look at the providers of services required for urgent medical care including initial contact services, ambulance services, social care, safe dispositions, technology, risk assessment contingency planning, human factors and good medical practice.

Preparation

Preparation for the exam is supported by an extensive syllabus and a very extensive study guide. This includes links to many online resources. An online course is now available, and it is anticipated that a preparation course will be available before the next diet.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

An agreement has been made between FPHC and a higher educational establishment in the United Kingdom that accreditation for prior learning (APL) will be given to successful candidates in this exam. This APL will be given to candidates who apply for their MSc in Urgent Care.

Summary

This exam gives experienced urgent care clinicians the opportunity to evidence their professional development in urgent care and develop their practice using an extensive syllabus and study guide based on an established methodology for providing integrated systems of care with a strong evidence base of benefit. It is hoped that this exam will lead to increasing interest and developments in the provision of urgent care.

For more information on the Diploma in Urgent Medical Care, click here.  

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