Dr Arash Fattahi wins 2025 RCP Teale essay prize

Dr Fattahi’s essay examines the history of rotational postgraduate medical training in the UK. While acknowledging its early-career benefits for foundation and internal medicine training doctors, including exposing doctors to a wide case mix early in their career, he makes the case for reform in the high specialty training years of a resident doctor’s career.

Drawing on evidence from national surveys, academic studies and personal testimony, the essay advocates a hybrid approach to training: broad exposure through short rotations during foundation and internal medicine years, followed by greater stability in higher specialty training to consolidate skills, strengthen doctor–patient continuity and support wellbeing.

The Teale essay prize is awarded annually by the RCP.

Dr Fattahi’s winning entry is the latest in a series of think piece articles about of postgraduate medical training, published as part of the RCP next generation campaign. 2025 is the year of ‘next gen’ at the RCP – a programme of work that aims to empower and support resident doctors to deliver the best possible patient care.

‘Rotational training shaped generations of doctors, but the time has come to evolve the model,’ Dr Fattahi says. ‘A phased approach – breadth first, depth later – offers the best combination of patient safety, resident doctor wellbeing and workforce sustainability.’

The full essay is available to download below.