Aims and Strengths

The Academy Trainee Doctors' Group aims to:

• Represent the College and Faculty trainee committees on relevant issues relating to training (largely specialty training)
• Assist the Academy in its objectives by providing a coherent view from junior doctors who are registered with any College or Faculty
• Act proactively to training, workforce and service issues

The ATDG does not:

• Seek to take a Union role (fulfilled by the JDC with respect to terms and conditions) although it may, as appropriate, discuss such issues with other organisations
• Have the capacity that other organisations, namely the JDC, have to represent the opinions of foundation trainees directly. It seeks to do this indirectly via the College trainee committees

The main strength of the ATDG is in its ability to:

• Compare the experience of junior doctors in different specialties, forming the the primary route of discussion between junior doctors of different medical Colleges and Faculties. It achieves this due to:
  • Well established routes of communication between College-registered junior doctors and College trainees committees
  • Specialty-specific knowledge and experience of trainee issues
  • Committee members with many years of experience working within the NHS and experience on specialty-specific committees