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Internal Medicine Training (IMT) Stage One

Why choose Wales for your IMT training?

Wales offers an outstanding environment for Internal Medicine Training (IMT) — combining high-quality, varied clinical experience with a supportive atmosphere, career flexibility, and a lifestyle that’s hard to beat. Whether you’re drawn by the prospect of working in leading academic centres, the chance to practise in both urban and rural settings, or the welcoming culture of the Welsh healthcare community, the Wales IMT programme has something for everyone.

Our programme is divided into 4 geographical regions which provides stability for residents on our programme as all three years of the IMT programme are located within one region.  This can provide more certainty when planning accommodation and family commitments as well as ensuring long commutes are avoided.  Rotations between the hospitals in a region are carefully planned to provide a balanced, varied and rewarding programme overall.  

The hospital sites within these regions are listed below:

North Wales - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
  • Bangor - Ysbyty Gwynedd (YG)
  • Rhyl - Ysbyty Glan Clwyd (YGC)
  • Wrexham - Wrexham Maelor Hospital (WM)
South West Wales - Hywel Dda University Health Board & Swansea Bay University Health Board
  • Bridgend - Princess of Wales Hospital (POW)
  • Swansea - Morriston Hospital (MH)
  • Llanelli - Prince Phillip Hospital (PPH)
  • Carmarthen - Glangwili Hospital (GH)
South/Central Wales -Cwm Taf University Health Board & Swansea Bay University Health Board
  • Bridgend - Princess of Wales Hospital (POW)
  • Llantrisant - Royal Glamorgan Hospital (RGH)
  • Merthyr Tydfil - Prince Charles Hospital (PCH)
  • Swansea - Morriston Hospital (MH)
South East Wales - Cardiff & Vale University Health Board & Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
  • Cardiff - University Hospital of Wales (UHW)
  • Cardiff - University Hospital of Llandough (UHL)
  • Newport - Royal Gwent Hospital (RGH)
  • Cwmbran - The Grange University Hospital (GUH)
  • Abergavenny - Neville Hall Hospital (NHH)

Please see here for more information:

What does our training programme look like?

Most IMT posts in Wales are arranged in six-month rotations, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in a specialty and become a valued member of the clinical team. Highlights include a three-month, hands-on rotation in Intensive care Medicine during IMT Year 2, based in a high-level ICU, and a six-month placement in geriatric medicine within your first two years under the guidance of a dedicated trainer. These experiences ensure that even if you choose to exit the programme at the end of IMT2, you will leave with a strong, well-rounded foundation in general internal medicine.

Acute Care Common Stem (Internal Medicine)

ACCS, or Acute Care Common Stem, is a three-year core training program for doctors in the UK, primarily focused on building expertise in acute care specialties. It serves as the initial training for those pursuing higher specialty training in Emergency Medicine, and is an alternative core training route for those entering Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, or other specialties listed on the JRCPTB website

After the initial 2 years of ACCS (IM), trainees can progress into a third and fourth year which have been designed so you can finish with both IMT (Internal Medicine Training) competencies and ACCS competencies. In Wales, there is one rotation in North Wales and one rotation in South East Wales.

Year 3 (CT2/IM2)

2 placements of 6 months each medical specialties

Geriatrics is mandatory for all IMT Stage 1 trainees

Year 4 (CT4/IM3)

2 placements of 6 months each

Aimed at preparing you to be a Specialty Registrar (SpR)

Focus on acquiring the skills needed to run a medical take (i.e., lea acute admissions and manage the acute medical team)

Royal College of Physicians (RCP)

Royal College of Physicians

We have a close working relationship with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and meet regularly to work towards a high level of trainee engagement across all of our medicine specialties. As our trainees rotate across sites and health boards, RCP tutors (CT's) will be looking for trainees interested in becoming an RCP associate college tutor (ACT).

ACTs have an important and key role in supporting their local RCP CT. They do this by:

  • acting as a link between trainees, the CT and RCP
  • providing peer support to, and arranging regular meetings with, their physician trainees
  • promoting education amongst trainees and supporting professional development and training
  • maintaining regular contact with regional RCP trainee representatives and attending RCP meetings
  • representing and championing the RCP within their health board

The RCP ACT role description is available to download here if you think this is something you may be interested in should you join our programme in Wales. For more information about RCP, please find their website linked here: Home - RCP

JRCPTB link for IMT recruitment resource - IMT recruitment webinar - JRCPTB

What next...?

We'd love for you to continue your training in Wales, and when you decide on what that path looks like, we would be delighted for you to continue your training journey here with us. When you decide on those next steps, we will be here to support you an d help you access the opportunities that will shape your career. IMT training is designed to give you a broad grounding in general internal medicine, while also preparing you for higher specialty training, here's the usual pathway:

Higher Specialty Training (HST)

After completing IMT (usually IMT3), most doctors apply for Specialty Training (ST4+) in one of the medical specialties.

You will typically choose one of the Group 1 specialties, which will include GIM as a requirement, such as cardiology, Respiratory medicine, Gastroenterology or Geriatric medicine.

Duration: Usually 4-5 years, leading to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).

Group 2 Specialties - These specialties don't require dual accreditation in GIM, so training is often shorter (usually 4 years after IMT2). Examples include Dermatology, Neurology, Medical Oncology or Palliative Medicine.

Alternative Pathways
  • Academic medicine - Pursue research, teaching, or educational leadership alongside clinical work (often involves an MD/PhD).
  • Medical leadership & management - Join NHS leadership programmes or combine with clinical roles.
  • Public health - Additional training via Public Health Specialty Training.
  • Portfolio careers - Mix clinical work with roles in education, quality improvement, telemedicine, or humanitarian medicine.
Got a question? Contact us