Here are a few questions previously asked about the Eastern Region Training School.  If you query is not answered here, the please feel free to contact us.

How many training sites in the School?

The two teaching hospitals on the rotation, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, host the ST1 trainees.  ST1 trainees spend the whole of their first year at one site.  The ST2-5 trainees are based at a number of sites (see rotation details).

What type of training model is in place?

Training at both of the centres for ST1 trainees follows a mixture of the traditional apprenticeship model with self-directed learning and group teaching also.  Trainees at both centres work on a 1-1 basis with the consultant histopathologists, receiving individual tuition and advice in surgical pathology, cytology and autopsy pathology.  Both centres also offer formal and informal group teaching covering a broad range of topics.  In addition, ST1 trainees attend the regional FRCPath course.

How many Year 1 trainees are in the School?

Up to 8 Year 1 trainees can be accommodated between the 2 sites.  Allocation is done based on interview ranking.

If a multi-site centre, is there a rotation between sites and how much time is spent at each?

Trainees do not rotate between the two sites during Year 1. We believe this gives the trainees the opportunity to become established members of the department and avoids the unnecessary trouble of moving after 6 months.

What are the block teaching arrangements i.e. number of blocks per year?

3 week-long block courses are held with our 'buddy' training schools.

Which other schools participate?

The 'buddy' training schools are Leicester and West Midlands, but by their request the Oxford and Bristol Training Schools have previously joined the Newmarket based Eastern Region Teaching week.

What are the typical subjects covered (subject to amendment on a year by year basis!)?

The Eastern Region Teaching week in Newmarket includes a comprehensive introduction to Neuropathology.

What usually happens during induction week?

Trainees at both sites undergo a comprehensive induction programme to all the different sections of the laboratory and mortuary.  In both centres this is undertaken over a 3 week period.  This will typically involve a half day in each area of the laboratory (cut-up, embedding, block cutting, special stains, Immunohistochemistry, cytology etc).  The mortuary induction course covers the basic aspects of undertaking a PM, with increasing hands-on involvement over the course of the induction week.

Do you have additional training days, and if so, what?

Year 1 trainees attend the regional MRCPath course which consists of a whole days training every month.  They are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training meetings.  In addition, the two centres have a number of informal teaching sessions at multi-headed microscopes- in Cambridge there are weekly sessions on gynae and non-gynae cytology.  Both centres run weekly "black-box" sessions.  Trainees can also access the excellent courses run by the East of England cytology training centre at Newmarket.

Which centres are on the Eastern Higher Specialist Training Course?

The current SpRs rotate around a number of centres in the east of England, see rotation details above.

Who is "responsible" for each Year One trainee?

Dr Alison Cluroe is the lead trainer for the ST1 school.  At Cambridge, Dr Aileen Patterson is the clinical lead and at Norwich, Dr Ahsan Ali takes this role.  Each Year One Trainee has an educational supervisor, and in addition, an SpR acts as a mentor.

How many trainees are there in the Eastern Region?

ST1 - Up to 8 ST1 posts are offered, depending on space within the ST2-5 programme. 

ST2-5 - Currently there are 14 general histopathology SpRs, and 2 sub-speciality trainees.  There are up to 24 general posts, 1 rotational post at Papworth, 1 rotational paediatric and neuropathology post at Addenbrooke's and 2 sub-speciality training posts (paediatric pathology and neuropathology).

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