Consultant post prospects in medical specialties

Consultant post prospects for Specialist Registrars (SpRs) in all the medic al specialties have been analysed using the databases of the Royal College of Physicians and the Joint Committee on Higher Medical Training (JCHMT). A 'bulge' in the numbers of SpRs obtaining Certificates of Completion of Spe cialist Training (CCSTs) is anticipated over the next 2-3 years, but this e ffect will be alleviated by the increasing trend to spend extra years in re search or flexible training. There are profound differences between the spe cialties in the ratios of SpRs holding National Training Numbers (NTNs) to consultants, and in the proportions of female SpRs, and these factors will markedly influence consultant post prospects. The outlook within most speci alties is favourable, but this is critically dependent on the rate of consu ltant expansion over the next few years.