Are you a resident doctor? At the start of your medical career? 

In September 2023, the RCP published Shape of medicine, in which we promised to explore how we can improve the experience of medical training and assess the impact of the changing medical workforce.

2025 is the year of 'next gen' at the RCP. As the voice of medicine, our college is committed to putting residents at the heart of everything we do. 

Last year, as a direct result of the feedback we were receiving from our fellows and members, the RCP launched our resident-led next generation campaign, a cross-college initiative that aims to support and empower residents to deliver the best possible patient care, while advocating for radical reform of the postgraduate medical training system.

Competition ratios for postgraduate training places 

The RCP is clear that medical students and early career doctors must be supported to train and work in the NHS throughout their careers. 

We’ve worked with our Resident Doctor Committee (RDC) and our Student Foundation Doctor Network (SFDN) to raise the issue of competition ratios in the media and with government. The RCP president, Dr Mumtaz Patel, along with our RDC and SFDN chairs, meet regularly with Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer and his team to raise our concerns. 

In February 2025, we published a brand new position statement, Left in the lurch, which said: 

‘From university graduation through to their first consultant or specialist role, doctors should be supported and empowered to train and work in the NHS throughout their careers. For every new medical school place created, we need a commensurate expansion in foundation and specialty training posts, based on population need in different parts of the country. A review of postgraduate medical training should address competition ratios for specialty training and ensure that publicly funded medical school places lead to the recruitment of more NHS doctors.’

The launch of this position statement was covered in the media by the Independent, by The BMJ and by The Financial Times, among others. 

What else are we doing to influence change? 

The results of our recent national next gen survey of more than 1,000 resident doctors informed our detailed response to the NHS England medical training review. 

Position statements, op-ed blogs, podcasts, webinars, conferences and events, the list goes on! 

For example, a panel of resident doctors led a very well attended main stage next gen panel debate at our 2025 annual conference that was held at our home in Regent’s Park in June. 

In the past 5 years, the RCP has successfully campaigned for an NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, the expansion of medical school and postgraduate training places and a review of postgraduate medical training. 

We will continue to push for urgent action on competition ratios for postgraduate training places, more detailed workforce data to help us model the future medical specialty workforce, and putting resident doctors at the centre of the conversation about the 10 Year Health Plan. 

Want to get involved? Get in touch with us: NextGen@rcp.ac.uk