Trainee membership of the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) in the UK and the Republic of Ireland

One Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) cycle. In the U.K., doctors, across all specialities, undergo an Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) to evaluate performance during each training year and determine progression to the next year of training. Similar processes exist in the Republic of Ireland. The process and requirements for ARCP in the UK are specified in the Gold Guide, the Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training [1]. It defines ARCP as a formal process that uses evidence collected by trainees to review and record performance, demonstrate competencies achieved and inform decisions regarding progression in training

Experience of preparation, processes and standards. These will be measured on an anonymous, online survey (Survey monkey) and participants will be asked to rate their experiences of the ARCP using a likert scale. Specific experiences will include preparation for Annual Review of Competence and Progression-timing of decision making and value of the process as an educational tool and contribution of traineers, supervisors and the ARCP panel. Examples of questions are Did you feel your progression was fairly assessed? Possible answers include very fair, fair, neutral, not fair, very unfair

Trainees attitudes to a face to face Annual Review of Competence and Progression This will be measured on a likert scale similar to that outlined above (Strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree). There will be space for free text comments on the survey and a thematic analysis will be performed according to the steps of Braun and Clarke on the comments