The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) credential in obstetric medicine, which leads to a Professional Diploma in Obstetric Medicine, has been designed for resident doctors with an interest in obstetric medicine, who wish to gain a credential in this specialist area.
This is a learner-led credential. Learners will work with their educational supervisor to plan their learning and identify opportunities to gain the knowledge and expertise required to complete the credential. You will be supported by a named educational supervisor in an obstetric medicine training centre who will provide support and advice during your training period there. They will provide guidance on how the knowledge and skills developed during the credential might be used when you return to your usual clinical environments.
Fully funded places are available for resident doctors based in England. If you are training in one of the devolved nations, please email us on credential@rcp.ac.uk.
Apply now using the link below.
Eligibility
Applicants must be a resident doctor in the UK and meet the following criteria:
- Training in a group 1 physician specialty
- ST5 level or above
- Full MRCP diploma
- Successful completion of IMT year 3 training (or equivalent)
- Current or previous experience of the acute medical take
- Full registration with the GMC without any restrictions which could prevent completion of the diploma training or practising as a physician upon completion of the credential.
During the training period, candidates are required to spend a minimum of 50% of their clinical practice time at their obstetric medicine approved training centre.
How will we assess your application?
We will be looking at the following areas:
- Suitability for training
- Interest in obstetric medicine. Ideally applicants will be able to demonstrate an interest through:
- attendance at conferences and webinars
- relevant quality improvement projects or research
- relevant published papers or posters
- experience of obstetric medicine cases in the clinical setting.
We recommend you talk to your training programme director if you are interested in undertaking the diploma. If successful, you will need to arrange to go out of programmes to take up the training opportunity in an approved obstetric medicine training centre.
Obstetric medicine approved training centres
There are currently six approved training centres and one provisionally approved training centre with further centres expected to be piloted in 2025/26.
If you are interested in becoming a training centre please email us on credential@rcp.ac.uk
Time commitment
When completed full-time, the RCP DipObsMed runs over a 12-month period. During this period, you will be required to spend a minimum of 50% of your obstetric medicine training at your obstetric medicine approved training centre. Less than full-time candidates may need longer, pro rata, to complete the DipObsMed. The appropriate credential training period will be agreed with your educational supervisor at the start of the credential.
It is recommended that candidates undertaking the DipObsMed should continue to be involved in acute medical on-call, and this commitment will be discussed and agreed locally.
The credential process
It is the responsibility of the candidate to maintain a portfolio of evidence which shows their progress and demonstrates achievement of the credential requirements. All relevant evidence (such as WPBAs, log of cases, reflections) should be available to the educational supervisor, with evidence linked to the obstetric medicine curriculum.
During the credential, candidates must continue to engage in the ARCP process, but assessment of completion of the credential in obstetric medicine will be made by the educational supervisor and a portfolio reviewer.
How to apply
Please complete the online application form for training opportunities in the approved obstetric medicine training centres in Manchester and Bristol starting in Autumn 2025. There may be additional pilot training centres available and this will be confirmed to applicants at the preferencing stage.
You will be asked to provide details of why you want to undertake the diploma and what impact completing the training will have on the patients you care for.
Applications will close at 9am on Monday 14 April 2025.
The application process will be used to select candidates for interview based on their suitability and to ensure geographic distribution. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to rank their preferred training centres.
We recommend you talk to your educational supervisor and training programme director before applying. As you will need to arrange time out of your training programme to undertake the credential.
Online interviews will be held on Tuesday 29 April 2025.
Apply now