Head of School: Mr Sanjay Rao

School Manager:  Chris Quinn

Specialty Co-ordinator: Laura Trainer

Why choose Obstetrics & Gynaecology?

A career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology is exciting, flexible and highly motivating. Caring for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby is an emotionally rewarding experience, full of joy and a sense of fulfilment.  

Obstetrics and Gynaecology is a broad specialty, allowing holistic progression of both medical and surgical knowledge and skills. The diverse nature of this specialty makes it immensely attractive as a career choice.

The School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northeast and North Cumbria is one of the top ten best performing in the UK, based upon national indicators. We are proud that our training programme meets the requirements of the RCOG curriculum with a constant focus on patient safety and quality assurance.

Our trainees progress to becoming well rounded doctors with a robust skill set, which enables them to have an excellent profile and successful career as consultants. Many of our trainees continue to work as consultants in the Northeast and some choose to work across the UK.

ST1 level entry will commence following the process of national recruitment; this is a run-through specialty with very well-structured programme developed by the RCOG.There is access to e-learning resources and evidence is accrued through a broad set of work-based assessments with a detailed and constructive e-portfolio.

Trainees are very well supported at all levels in Obstetrics and Gynaecology as is shown by the excellent feedback on supervision in our speciality from local and national surveys. Support continues outside of normal hours allowing trainees to progress at a challenging rate while still feeling secure and ensuring patient safety.

As a trainee what can I expect from my training programme?

The School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology provides high quality specialty training to enable trainees to progress to CCT.  The training programme lasts 7 years, whole time equivalent, subject to satisfactory progression at ARCP (Annual review of competency progression). Entry to training is via competitive national recruitment, the majority of trainees start as ST1, but there is a small intake in ST3.  The region also provides a number of approved subspecialty training (SST) programmes, in maternal/fetal medicine, gynaecological oncology and reproductive medicine and trainees may transfer into the deanery for these SST programmes. The recruitment and selection process for SST training follows RCOG requirements.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology is a rotational training program, and there is travel throughout the region. Trainees rotate each year in the month of August. Typically, training time in ST1 year is spent in one of the teaching hospitals with a medium delivery rate in the region, allowing acclimatisation and broad introduction to the specialty.

At ST2/3, we aim for trainees to progress further and gain experience in a teaching hospital with a higher delivery rate and to stay in this unit for the ST3 training year. This allows trainees make a smooth transition from first to second tier on-call. Most training units encourage ST2 trainees to ‘act up’ in preparation for ST3. These posts are allocated via national recruitment.

It is not always possible to have the whole of ST2 and ST3 in one unit, especially if trainees have time out of training or are less than full time, but they will be allocated their next unit with this taken into consideration and supportive of their training.

The rotations/ SITM preference survey is sent in November, which is taken into consideration for planning the next year’s placement. Subsequent rotations are based on training needs, unit staffing and trainee preferences, although this is not guaranteed. There is an expectation that trainees will rotate through a number of units as part of the training programme, across the breadth of the whole region. This will help in consolidating robust clinical experience and gaining skills in a range of clinical settings.

Trainees will achieve a CCT in both Obstetrics and Gynaecology and therefore the training is across the speciality, however from ST5 onwards, trainees start to specialise in a certain area of Obstetrics & Gynaecology by commencing a SITM.  SITMs provide advanced, specialised training in obstetrics and gynaecology. There are 7 obstetric modules and 14 gynaecology modules available in the SITM programme. The second SITM can only be started after achieving completion of Part 3 MRCOG. Trainees are required to complete 2 Special Interest raining Modules (SITMs) to obtain a CCT. There may be a competitive entry to some SITMs; therefore, trainees are encouraged to build their CV, quality improvement projects and publications to gain entry to SITMs of their choice.

Specialty training | RCOG

There are links with Newcastle, Sunderland and Teesside Universities. Some trainees enter academic training programmes, often including laboratory-based research in Newcastle. The Centre for Life in Newcastle is one of the leading centres for fertility research in the country.

There is the opportunity for involvement in research, with units actively recruiting patients into clinical research trials, some trainees will become Associate Principal Investigator’s (PI) on trials.

What support is available for trainees in Obstetrics & Gynaecology?

The Head of School, Mr Sanjay Rao, has overall responsibility for leading the training programme, ensuring best standards of quality assurance supporting trainers and trainees aspiring to achieve CCT. He is supported by 4 Training Programme Directors (TPDs). Likewise, TPDs are also supported by the College Tutors in each unit.

Mr Rao is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist based at James Cook University Hospitals Tees. He has a specialist interest in benign gynaecology and high-risk obstetrics. He has a lead role in postgraduate medical education and contribution towards the RCOG Examination Committee. He represents the School at the RCOG Specialist Education Advisory Committee (SEAC).

sanjay.rao1@nhs.net

Dr Sarah Gatiss is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, (STSFT). She is a Clinical Director for Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Her specialist interests are sexual health, office gynaecology and abortion care. Dr Gatiss is the Director for SITMs and TPD for ST6/7. She is also TPD for CSRH trainees in the Northeast.

sarahjane.gatiss@nhs.net

Dr Jemma Yorke is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, based at University Hospital North Durham. Her specialist interests are maternal medicine and management of the labour ward. Dr Yorke is TPD for ST5. She has contributed as Workplace Behaviour Champion.

jemma.yorke@nhs.net

Dr Hannah Gamblin is a Consultant Gynaecologist at the RVI in Newcastle. She is lead for cancer diagnostics. She is regional SuppoRTT/ LTFT lead and has additional qualifications in mentoring and coaching. Her interests are benign abdominal surgery, cancer care and education both in and out of medicine. Dr Gamblin is the TPD for ST3-4.

hannah.gamblin@nhs.net

Dr Nicola Ramshaw is a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist  at STSFT, she is also RCOG College Tutor for the department. Her specialist interests, along with training, are cancer care, minimal access surgery and colposcopy. Dr Ramshaw is the TPD for ST1-2.

nramshaw@nhs.net

Throughout the region. there are great training opportunities. There is an annual protected regional teaching programme, mapped to relevant core RCOG curriculum requirements. This includes mandatory training courses required for progression.

The membership exams for Obstetrics & Gynaecology are challenging. Success in examinations is crucial at critical points of progression- Part 1 MRCOG by ST2, Part 2 and Part 3 MRCOG must be achieved by ST5 before progression to ST6.  Trainees are supported and signposted to a range of resources to successfully get through the MRCOG examinations.

The region has an increasing availability of simulation training with most units having access to laparoscopic, obstetric or ultrasound simulators. The school provides an innovative and extremely well received mandatory cadaveric laparoscopic training course and has introduced a blended basic ultrasound course – combining US simulation with ‘real life’ scanning and clinical scenarios.

Mrs Laura Trainer is our Programme Support Officer. She is our main pillar of support for administrative and logistical aspects for the School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology alongside Mr Chris Quinn, our dynamic School manager.

HEENE has a very active Obstetrics and Gynaecology Regional Trainees Committee which represents all levels of trainees and has members representing less than full time and academic trainees. The trainee representative voice is very important to the school and helps us mould the delivery of training for our doctors. Dr Hannah Bhopal is the Chair of this Committee and Dr Sophie Whiteway is Vice Chair.

Our training programme emphasizes the importance of well being and resilience. In addition to our highly popular social events including the annual ball, our trainees committee has a well-established annual Wellbeing at work (WOW) day which is fully supported and promoted by the School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Is there an option for flexible training?

Many of our trainees choose to train flexibly for a variety of reasons, and this may change throughout their training due to family and work factors.  Dr Hannah Gamblin (hyperlink), is the lead for flexible training and for the SUPPort package, offered to those who have taken time out of training, for e.g. maternity alongside other factors.

What do our trainees say:

‘Through the programme you obtain supported, high-calibre training. The ultrasound teaching/training we receive is well organised and there is an eagerness within the programme to deliver this. We are at the forefront of Obstetrics & Gynaecology – national experts in laparoscopic surgery, genetics research, busy maternity units, and formidable cancer centres.’

‘There is no typical day when working in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, but I have plenty of supervised experience in major and minor operating lists, clinics, labour ward. The thing I love about O&G is working with senior obstetricians and midwives to deliver a well-baby to a well woman. It is so varied and rewarding – looking after women in labour, problems in pregnancy, symptoms that significantly affect quality of life.’

Finally, a message from Dr Richard Bellamy, our Deputy Dean and Director of Specialty Training

We aim to create a diverse and inclusive environment for doctors working all specialties including Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This means we want everyone to feel welcome in this specialty regardless of protected and other characteristics including gender, ethnicity, social and cultural background, sexual orientation, disability, caring responsibilities, whether working full-time or less than full-time, country of graduation, etc. We have a wide range of initiatives to address differential attainment and a large number of extended opportunities to help everyone become the best doctor they can be.

We hope this means that you enjoy training in the North East and North Cumbria and that you achieve all of your ambitions. Working together with you we hope to improve health inequalities across the North East and North Cumbria and improve health outcomes for everyone.

Current vacancy information

Rotation information

To find out more about our region please visit Find Your Place

Updated  August 2024

For information on the Community and Sexual Reproductive Health overview programme, please see this link