Defined route entry – Emergency Medicine (DRE-EM pathway)

In 2013-14, the GMC and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) approved an alternative pathway for entry to Emergency Medicine training programme called ‘Defined Route Entry – Emergency Medicine’ (DRE-EM pathway). This is a new run through 5-year training programme in EM, which may be suitable for those who have done core training in other specialties such as BST or who have done a minimum of one year of EM experience with/without some ACCS competencies.

The first two years consist of conversion to and consolidation of all the core EM competences. In the first year, a DRE-EM trainee may work in approved EM and PEM (Paediatric Emergency Medicine) posts achieving the ST3 competencies. During this year, one is expected to be engaged in work place base assessment (WPBAs) on the patients’ conditions listed on the curriculum of CT3/ST3, which is available on the RCEM website along with details of the RCEM assessment systems.

The second year will be spent outside the ED completing all of the missing competencies, which may include Acute Medicine, ITU and Anaesthetics, 4-6 months each, depending on what the trainee had completed prior to joining the training programme. During these first two years of training, in addition to achieving the PEM, EM, and ACCS competencies, a DRE-EM trainee is expected to successfully complete annual ARCPs and the FRCEM Intermediate examination prior to being able to move to ST4 year.

It is mandatory that during these two years you complete the APLS (Advanced Paediatric Life Support) or EPLS (European Paediatric Life Support) course.