The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (previously known as The Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital) is part of University College London Hospitals NHS Trust. It is an out patient hospital which receives most of its referrals from General Practitioners. At the RLHIM homeopathy is integrated with the best of conventional medical care and other complementary therapies.
The Fast Track Course is for fully qualified medical doctors. After completing the Fast Track Course, the doctor will be eligible to sit both the LFHom (Licenced Associate of the Faculty of Homeopathy) and MFHom (Member of the Faculty of Homeopathy)
examinations. For those doctors who do not already have LFHom, there is a sitting of the examination at the hospital towards the end of the clinical course.
Students will be advised during the course about when it is appropriate to take
the MFHom exam depending on their individual level of experience and knowledge.
Although we have high standards of teaching, and our students do very well in the Faculty examinations, we do all we can to create a relaxed and
informal atmosphere. For many doctors, the Fast Track Course is an
enjoyable and memorable experience which stays with them for the rest of their professional lives. The following are quotes from past Fast Track students:
(Dr Amit & Aditi Habbu)
“We had a wonderful experience at the Fast Track Course at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine in Autumn 2007. We developed a great rapport with the Teaching Faculty there which helped make the learning process more enriching. The knowledge we gained there has helped us greatly in our full time homoeopathic prac-tices in the cities of Mumbai and Pune, India.” (Dr Aditi & Dr Amit Habbu from India)
“Within the first week of the course I was hooked. The teaching was passionate, personalised and fascinating. Being based at the hospital meant that we were exposed to clinics and patients from the start. I decided to sit the MFHom at the earliest opportunity after completing my Fast Track course whilst the information was still fresh in my mind. I have never looked back, and now work as a full time homeopathic physician at RLHIM. I cannot recommend the Fast Track course to you highly enough, whatever field of
medicine you are in” (Dr J Lenhart from the UK) (Dr J Lenhart with patient)
(Dr Roncancio-Diaz, MD) “Excellent course. I have enjoyed it and found it stimulating and
challenging. Very supportive lecturers who are willing to answer questions. I feel that it has grately complemented my medical knowledge. (Dr Emilse “I have found the Homeopathy I learnt at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine most useful. The longer I practise the more I incorporate this wonderful modality into my everyday clinical practice. Homeopathy has the added bonus of using a different healing paradigm to Western Medicine and therefore does not interact with it. I thoroughly recommend Homeopathy and the course at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine to any practitioner who wishes to take their skills to the next level” (Dr John Gillett from Australia)
The RLHIM Academic Unit staff
Dr Sara Eames Dr Peter Fisher Dr Russell Malcolm Dr Gabriela Rieberer Director of Education Clinical Lead, Director of Research Senior Tutor Deputy Director of Education
Dr Andrea Weissner Mrs Amy Bowrin MBE Ms Janet Joseph Clinical Tutor Academic Unit Manager Academic Unit Co-ordinator
Academic Unit
Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine 60 Great Ormond Street
London WC1N 3HR
Tel. 020 3448 2310/11 Fax. 020 3448 2312
email: amy.bowrin@uclh.nhs.uk / janet.joseph@uclh.nhs.uk web: www.uclh.nhs.uk/rlhim
any one time. Close friendships often develop, and the students are encouraged to become part of the RLHIM team, getting to know the hospital doctors and staff. They are given individual hospital e-mail addresses so that they can freely communicate with the rest of the hospital.
Assuming 6 hours teaching (or other study/clinical experience) each day, on
completion of both the clinical and correspondence Fast Track course, the student will have accumulated a minimum of 720 hours of teaching/study/clinical experience eg:
HOW SOON CAN I SIT THE MFHOM EXAM AFTER THE COURSE?
Students will be ready to take this exam at variable times after the completion of the formal teaching, depending on their previous experience of homeopathy. During the Fast Track course, there will be continued assessment of each student’s progress. Most students will be able to complete the examination within 2 years of starting the course, but we advise every student individually according to their progress. A requirement of the second part of the MFHom examination is that candidates build up a case book of ten patients they have treated themselves, under supervision, with homeopathy. Some students are able to obtain the clinical experience and supervision which they require near their homes, but for those who do not have access to an experienced medical homeopath we are able to offer individualised programmes of further study and support at The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine. This can be negotiated with the clinical tutor and the Director of Education during the
1. Admission and induction arrangements
It is a big decision for a doctor to commit to the Fast Track course because of the time commitment and the implications for their other professional work. For this reason, students embarking on the Fast Track course will usually have had extensive communication by telephone, and often direct meetings with the clinical tutor and the administrative staff in the Academic Unit. Potential students are encouraged to visit the hospital and meet the clinical tutor before coming to the course. This is not always possible for students outside the UK.
The first week of the course is very much an introductory one, so that students can settle into the hospital.
2. Career support provided to students
There is no formalised structure for this, but the implications of homeopathic training on each student’s career is discussed from the moment they make the initial contact with the clinical tutor. For this reason, students embarking on the Fast Track Course will usually have had extensive communication with the clinical tutor and the administrative staff in the Academic Unit.
3. Academic support provided to students
The main support is from the clinical tutor. The clinical tutor marks all the TMAs during the correspondence course. He/she will meet with the students at least once a week during the clinical attachment at the RLHIM. It is
the clinical tutor who supervises the students’ clinical work with their own patients at the teaching clinics. The tutors who teach on the Fast Track course are doctors who work within RLHIM and also doctors who work in Homeopathy outside the hospital. We hope
that this gives students a breadth of teaching and opinion from the wider homeopathic community.
Approximate time allocation for the clinical course
Tutorials 200 hours
Observing outpatients clinics 90 hours Students own outpatient clinic including case
presentation and discussion
27 hours
Consultation techniques (live patients) 24 hours Regular attendance at Journal club and clinical meetings 12 hours approx Private study 10 hours
Library resources
RLHIM has an excellent library.
CAMLIS is the RLHIM Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Information and Library Service and is situated on the ground floor of the hospital. CAMLIS is the most comprehensive specialist collection for CAM in the UK serving healthcare professionals, researchers and patients alike.
Equipment and information technology
Students have access to computer programmes particularly Mac Repertory and Radar. These are provided on the computers in the student seminar room. There is good equipment for teaching, including overhead projectors, PowerPoint, VCRs etc
Teaching and Social Accommodation
There is a reasonably sized and comfortable seminar room used exclusively by the Fast Track students. There is also a staff room (shared by hospital staff) on the third floor of the hospital with kitchen facilities and access to an outdoor terrace. There is also a hospital café providing hot meals and drinks.
The League of Friends tea bar sells sandwiches, snacks and drinks.
2. A 12 week full-time attachment at the RLHIM
On completion of the correspondence course, the students come full-time to the RLHIM for a further 12 weeks.
This is a full time commitment, with a varied programme of small group tutorials, individual study and clinical experience.
The students are encouraged to join in with regular activities of the hospital including journal clubs and the grand rounds.
The students also have the opportunity to experience homeopathy being used to treat patients. They observe at outpatient clinics, as well as seeing and treating a small number of their own patients under supervision at teaching clinics.
The progress made by each student is assessed by the tutors over the 12 weeks. Those students whose work is of a sufficiently good standard can sit the MFHom examination in the year following the course.
(RLHIM, Camlis Library)
There are two parts to the Fast Track Course: 1. A 12 week correspondence course
A workbook covers each week of the course. The book explains the main points of the topics to be covered that week, with references for further reading. DVDs of cases are also supplied to illustrate indications for remedies, and the practical application of the theories covered in the text.
Worksheets are provided to test the student’s understanding of the information. The student faxes or e-mails these back at intervals to the Fast Track clinical tutor. The work is marked and returned to the student with appropriate feedback. Students living near the hospital can also call in to see the clinical tutor to discuss any topics they find difficult.
Students who already have the LFHom qualification may be exempt from the correspondence course, and the course fee is reduced proportionately)
The course has been accredited by the Faculty of Homeopathy as suitable for the training of doctors up to MFHom standard. The Faculty make intermittent checks on the course to ensure it remains of good standard.
Feedback forms are provided for every week of the correspondence course and each week of the clinical attachment.
At the end of the clinical attachment, feedback is again collected.
The course is constantly monitored and adjusted in response to feedback from students.
Is there accommodation near the hospital?
Unfortunately, the hospital cannot supply accommodation for students. Students have to arrange accommodation themselves. But you may find the following contact helpful:
Doctor in the House, 19 Sispara Gardens, London SW18 1LG Tel: 020 8870 5949. www.doctorhouse.co.uk Contact persons are Sue Wainwright and Tiggy Hooper. They are a reputable organisation and they will book you into reasonable priced accommodation as near to the hospital as possible.
There is also residential accommodation at UCLH. Please contact: Genesis Housing Association, Bonham Carter House, 52 Gower Street, London WC1E 6EB Tel: 020 3447 9025
Fax: 020 3447 9265
Rents start at £484.24 per month for employees for a standard room with shared facilities ; larger rooms are £564.94. Please enquire about rents for ensuite and studios. Rents are fully inclusive of bills. A refundable deposit of one months rent is also payable. (Prices from April 2011).
Interested?
If you would like to look at the accommodation, or have any queries about it, please contact: Siraj Hafesji, Residential Services Manager on 07810 814185, gkplettings@genesisha.org.uk.
1. Medical Qualifications and experience
• Doctors should be a graduate of a medical school recognised by
the General Medical Council. The list of these is available from the GMC website.
• UK doctors should have full, current registration with the GMC. • Doctors from outside the UK should be currently registered with
the professional body of the country where they are working. 2. Medical Indemnity
You do not have to have your own medical insurance to do the course as you will be covered by the hospital medical indemnity .
3. English language
As our courses are intensive, you will be required to have a good level of English ability. If your training at medical school was in a language other than English, you will need the equivalent of at least a score of 7 in the International Language Test (ILET) which you can take at the British Council in your country.
The curriculum for the course follows the syllabus for the MFHom examination as supplied by the Faculty of Homeopathy. We regularly update the course in line with any changes made by the Faculty to the syllabus.
Detailed information about the syllabus and the examinations can be ob-tained from the Faculty of Homeopathy web-site:
http://www.facultyofhomeopathy.org
(The Faculty of Homeopathy is a separate entity from the hospital and is currently based in Luton. The Faculty was incorporated by an Act of
Parliament in 1950. Its role is to promote the academic and scientific development of homeopathy and ensure the highest standards in the
education, training and practice of homeopathy by statutorily registered healthcare professionals)
We also welcome to the Fast Track Course doctors who simply want to learn more about Homeopathy and who do not want to gain any professional qualifications in the subject.
(RLHIM Reception)
