Core Trainee Specialties
When adding a procedure why can’t I choose "Core Training" when selecting a surgical specialty?
Core Training describes your training programme, but it does not have its own list of procedure codes in eLogbook. Each operation must therefore be recorded against the relevant surgical specialty whose procedure list contains that operation.
For example, if you are undertaking a General Surgery placement, you would normally select General Surgery when recording an operation performed during that placement.
I selected "Core Training" in my profile. Why can’t I select it when adding an operation?
This is expected. “Core Training” must be selected as your Training Programme Specialty in My Details, but it is not an operative specialty and does not have a separate list of procedures.
When adding an operation, you must instead select one of the available surgical specialties. This connects the case to the appropriate procedure codes and allows it to be classified correctly.
What does "Current Specialty" mean?
When you select Core Training in your profile under “Training Programme Specialty”, an additional Current Specialty setting is available. For convenience, this determines which specialty is pre-selected when you add a new operation and, consequently, which procedure list is shown by default. However, you do not have to use this as the specialty when adding a procedure if it is not appropriate.
Which "Current Specialty" should I select?
Select the specialty that reflects your current placement or the area in which you are presently recording operative activity.
The setting provides a convenient default. When recording an individual operation, the case must still be associated with the surgical specialty relevant to that procedure.
What if an operation belongs to a different specialty?
Select the specialty appropriate to that particular operation. Your Current Specialty controls the default selection; it does not mean that every operation must be recorded under that specialty. An operation can be recorded using the pre-selected specialty or another available specialty where appropriate.
Do I need to change previous operations to "Core Training"?
No. There is no requirement to assign previous operations to “Core Training”, because Core Training is not an operative specialty in the case-entry list.
Previous cases should remain associated with the surgical specialty and procedure code relevant to the operation performed.
Will selecting a surgical specialty when I add an operation change my grade?
No. The grade recorded in eLogbook is set separately in My Details and is independent of the specialty selected for an operation.
This means that:
- Training Programme Specialty identifies you as a core trainee.
- Current Specialty sets the default specialty and procedure list for new operations.
- Operation Specialty classifies the individual case.
- Grade is maintained separately and is not determined by the operation’s specialty.
Does my Year in Training still matter?
Yes. Accurate analysis of national operative data relies on the Year in Training information being correct. Trainees should therefore ensure that their Year in Training and associated date ranges are accurate and updated.
Will this affect my reports as a Core Trainee?
No. Your Training Programme Specialty identifies you as being in Core Training separately from the specialty assigned to individual operations. Your operations should continue to be recorded against the surgical specialty relevant to each procedure.
Quick example
A CT1 trainee could configure and record their activity as follows:
- Training Programme Specialty: Core Training
- Current Specialty: General Surgery
- Specialty selected: Vascular (If appropriate to the procedure being added)
- Grade: Set separately in My Details
The operation is therefore classified using the relevant Vascular procedure code, while the trainee remains identified as being in Core Training.
In summary
Core trainees must select a surgical specialty for each operation because Core Training does not have its own procedure-code list. Selecting the appropriate specialty ensures that the correct procedures are available and that each case is classified appropriately. Your core-training status and grade are maintained separately by correctly entering and updating your profile in 'My Details'.