title: Combined infection training-a pioneering collaborative approach to educating infection specialists.
abstract: This commentary discusses the recent pioneering overhaul of training for UK doctors wishing to pursue a career in the infection specialities. Changes include the introduction of new curricula that embrace increased collaboration between the laboratory-based and clinical specialties and a broad-based infection training period, named 'Combined Infection Training', which has never been seen before. Here, we discuss the benefits and challenges associated with the collaborative approach to training with particular reference to points that educators responsible for training programme design need to consider. We also describe our own local experiences in adopting a proactive, multidisciplinary approach to address potential obstacles prospectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Whiston Hospital, Nightingale House, Warrington Road, Merseyside, L35 5DR, UK ssunny@liv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Syba Susan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sunny
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool, L7 8XP, UK.
authors.forename: Suganya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nedumaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool, L7 8XP, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aston
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool, L7 8XP, UK.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases/International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taegtmeyer
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D055552:Infectious Disease Medicine / Q000193:education*; D012106:Research / Q000193:education; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: curriculum; education; infectious diseases; medical microbiology; postgraduate; shape of training