RCOG and VSO Fellowship programme
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and VSO Fellowship scheme offers UK specialist trainees one-year opportunities to improve maternal health in developing countries.
While you share your skills to improve outcomes for some of the poorest women in the world, the personal and professional development you gain is supported by the RCOG.
What could I do?
You'll combine teaching, training and management with clinical work, supporting colleagues to strengthen essential obstetric care in a rural, district, or teaching hospital. You could be working in countries like Kenya or Cambodia.
As a Fellow, you'll encounter new pathology, review care provision and assess learning needs, and work to improve services in a low resource environment. This means you'll gain unique opportunities to enhance your managerial and teaching skills, as well as develop your independent clinical practice.
How does it work?
As a RCOG/VSO fellow, you’ll have the mentorship of a UK obstetrician and in-country senior doctor, and structured support to evidence the clinical, teaching and management experience you gain.
Fellowships are out of programme clinical experience, undertaken with RCOG support. This experience does not normally count towards CCT/CESR and therefore does not require GMC approval. However, the trainee will still require approval of the local Deanery STC (or School) and the Postgraduate Dean before undertaking such training. For more advice on out of programme experience, please see the BMA’s guidance for UK doctors on taking time to work overseas, ‘Broadening Your Horizons’.
Who can take part?
UK obstetricians or gynaecologists in ST5 (SpR year 3) and up can spend a year with VSO as out of programme experience, with RCOG endorsement and support.
Feedback from previous Fellows is that the best time to go is post-MRCOG, with some registrar or middle grade experience. At this point trainees are in a position to continue building on their competences, and offer wider managerial, teaching, and clinical skills. As it can take 12 months from applying to departing on your Fellowship, trainees can apply a year in advance.
Shorter term roles in Ethiopia
In 2011 we are looking for consultant or senior trainee Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for 3-month and 6-month roles in Ethiopia.
What next?
If you could go overseas within the next 12 months, simply apply to VSO and state you’d like to take part in the Fellowship scheme.
