Consultant post prospects in medical specialties.

Consultant post prospects for Specialist Registrars (SpRs) in all the medical 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 Specialist Training (CCSTs) is anticipated over the next 2-3 years, but this effect will be alleviated by the increasing trend to spend extra years in research or flexible training. There are profound differences between the specialties 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 specialties is favourable, but this is critically dependent on the rate of consultant expansion over the next few years.