How Do Current Senior Registrar Job Profiles Relate to Proposed Specialist Registrar FTTA Posts?

The proposed United Kingdom training pathway for Orthodontic Specialist Registrars is now accepted to be of 3 years duration. In the final year, Specialist Registrars will take the Membership in Orthodontics, with the end point of training marked by the award of the Certificate of Completion on Specialist Training (CCST).

There will be a predetermined number of fixed term training appointments (FTTAs), available through competitive entry, which will provide 2 years of additional training and lead to eligibility to apply for a Consultant appointment. The end point of the Specialist Registrar (FTTA) will be marked by the Intercollegiate Specialty Examination (ISE).

The current 3-year Senior Registrar orthodontic training will be reduced to 2 years as the transition to the Specialist Registrar FTTA grade occurs. In the light of these changes, a survey of full time NHS Senior Registrar posts was carried out to examine current job profiles with particular reference to their suitability for assimilation into the Specialist Registrar (FTTA) grade and preparation for the ISE.