Training handbooks

Building confidence from the start

As part of your membership with the Association we are here to support your professional development at every stage.

We offer a range of resources for anaesthetists in training, all to help make life a little bit easier. This includes our series of handbooks on success in training in anaesthesia.

Handbooks

Success in stage 1 training in anaesthesia: all you need to know

This handbook is designed to steer you through the first three years of Stage 1 (previously ‘core’) training. Written by a team of anaesthetists at different career stages, we hope this provides a useful perspective on how to get the most out of your first few years in anaesthesia.

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Success in stage 2 training in anaesthesia: all you need to know

For many people, Stage 2 is an exciting part of their training. You can now focus on consolidating your core knowledge while exploring new subspecialties of anaesthesia. The purpose of this guide is to give you hints, tips and strategies for success. The Association has many ways in which it can help you during training, and these will be signposted throughout this handbook.

This handbook is exclusively available to members. Log in to your member account or join as a member to access.

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Success in stage 3 training in anaesthesia: all you need to know

Stage 3 represents a significant period of your professional life, where you transition from supervised resident to independent practice. The many steps and challenges that you encounter can be quite intimidating and working out how to progress by yourself can be challenging. Some information may be familiar, but many aspects you will not have encountered before. The aim of this guide is to help you excel, spelling out issues to help navigate this final stage of training.

This handbook is exclusively available to members. Log in to your member account or join as a member to access.

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Podcasts

Our podcast, Coffee and a Gas, has produced a special series on training in anaesthesia. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Stages - Stage one

Starting anaesthetics training can feel exciting, daunting, and everything in between. We sit down with a resident doctor who has just completed Stage 1 to share what it’s really like — from first on-calls to tackling the Primary FRCA, managing the e-portfolio, and finding your feet in theatre. Packed with practical tips, honest reflections, and advice they wish they’d known on day one, this is your survival guide to navigating Stage 1 and setting yourself up to thrive.

Stages - Stage two

You’ve found your feet as an anaesthetic resident. Now it’s time to tackle specialist rotations, increased responsibility and the Final FRCA. Dr Toni Robinson is joined by Dr Emma O’Neill to discuss practical advice on navigating Stage 2 training, avoiding common pitfalls and building a sustainable career in anaesthesia.

Stages - Stage three

You’ve worked out how to navigate portfolio and training. Now it’s time to take the next step, becoming a senior resident and working out what kind of consultant you are going to be. Joe Pick is joined by Mo Amer to discuss practical advice on how to thrive in stage 3 and start planning for your future.

Stages - The mid-career anaesthetist

In this episode of our ‘stages’ series we discuss the challenges faced by the mid-career anaesthetist. It’s an often forgotten stage of life and a career, where direction and purpose can be unclear. We are joined in this podcast by Dr Lois Brand, an emergency medicine consultant and specialised coach, who runs popular career pit stop sessions and Dr Robert Self, VP of the Association of Anaesthetists.

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