The statement is divided into eleven (11) domains. Outcomes and capabilities are listed for basic and higher training separately. There are three elements in the curriculum statement.

Learning Outcomes
These are broad statements of mandatory training results.

Key Capabilities
These are the essential skill a trainee must acquire.

Illustrations
These are examples that can demonstrate the achievement of Learning Outcomes and Key Capabilities.

Syllabuses are scopes of knowledge described for each subspecialty. General Paediatrics is all the knowledge that are covered by these syllabuses. In other words, General Paediatrics is the sum of all subspecialty areas during the first six years of training.

Depending on the training opportunity, a trainee may acquire the knowledge in these syllabuses at different breadths and depths. These syllabuses are meant to be the guidance on training, which should not be construed as the limits to the knowledge that a trainee may be tested at the intermediate examinations and the exit assessment.

The syllabuses cover:

1. Adolescent Medicine
2. Cardiology
3. Community Paediatrics
4. Dermatology
5. Developmental - Behavioral Paediatrics
6. Ear, Nose and Throat
7. Emergency Paediatrics
8. Endocrinology
9. Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
10. Genetics and Genomics
11. Haematology and Oncology
12. Paediatric Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases
13. Intensive Care
14. Mental Health
15. Metabolic Medicine
16. Neonatology
17. Nephrology
18. Neurology
19. Ophthalmology
20. Palliative Care
21. Respiratory Medicine
22. Rheumatology

A trainee is expected to uphold the core competencies and skill expected of medical graduates listed in the "HK Doctor" document (the HKD) published by the MCHK (Latest version October 2017).

In addition, a paediatric trainee is also expected to achieve the outcomes and key capabilities in the eleven domains as follows.

1. Professional Values and Behaviour
2. Communication
3. Procedures
4. Patient Management
5. Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
6. Leadership and Team Working
7. Patient Safety and Safe Prescribing
8. Quality Improvement
9. Safeguarding
10. Education and Training
11. Research

A trainer's report assesses a trainee's performance in a time period across the 11 competency domains. Both the trainer and the trainee shall discuss the strengths and weakness of the trainee, and decide on a future development plan. ​

Curriculum is made up of specified Learning Outcome and Key Capabilities. It is the backbone of learning.

Syllabus specifies a scope of knowledge of a certain area of training. Its breadth and depth of acquisition may vary trainee to trainee. If the curriculum is the long bones in a bird's wing, the syllabuses are the feathers.

Suggestions and feedback were collected from the consultation forums and the former Working Group of Curriculum Review.

To include Point -of-care Ultrasound skills in key capabilities, e.g. Basic echocardiogram for assessing left ventricular function (M mode), appreciating poor contractility, diagnosing pneumothorax, ultrasound guided blood vessel catheter insertion (Dr Lawrence Chan, 27 Jan 2022).

Working Group Replies (16 Feb 2022): Thanks, Lawrence! The Group agrees that ultrasound usage is becoming an essential skill for paediatricians. In the backbone of a curriculum statement, we think it is appropriate to state a generic requirement of POCUS but without specifying the region and the usage. We think the specific skills e.g. detecting pericardial effusion can be listed in the syllabus of the relevant subspecialty. A trainee may acquire these skills according to their scope of training. ​

To change the following key capabilities to a new "Optional" category and to be listed in the illustration section (Dr Eric Lee, Dr Sabrina Tsao, Dr NC Fong and Dr SP Wu, 5 March 2022):​

Basic Training - Peripheral arterial catheterization (reason: it is considered a skill that is nice to have, but not absolutely mandatory for all paediatricians)​.

Higher training - Exchange transfusion (reason: this procedure is increasingly rare)​​.

To accept simulation training as an alternative to real patient training in the following key capabilities (Dr Eric Lee, Dr Sabrina Tsao, Dr NC Fong and Dr SP Wu, 5 March 2022):

Basic Training - Advanced airway management, including tracheal intubation​
Basic Training - Intraosseous need insertion
Basic Training - Use of epinephrine auto-injector
Basic Training - Chest drain and chest tube insertion, including needle thoracocentesis
Basic Training - Use of Automated External Defibrillators

To specify performing blood culture instead of "Microbiological specimen collection" to be more specific (Dr Eric Lee, Dr Sabrina Tsao, Dr NC Fong and Dr SP Wu, 5 March 2022).

Inclusion of reduction of pulled elbow and removal of foreign body from oropharynx with Magill forceps under Domain 3 (Dr Philip Sham).

Upon the drafting of syllabus, the Working Group agreed that red reflex examination is a mandatory skill during basic training. This applies to the newborns and young children for the detection of cataract and intraocular mass (WGCR 29 Sept 2022)

Adding the word "holistic" in the Learning outcome of Domain 1 to emphasize the importance of whole person care. (WGCR 29 November 2022).

Adding 'Physical and mental health" in key capability of Domain 4 to emphasize that emergency and serious conditions does not only refer to physical body, but also the mind (WGCR 29 November 2022).

Dr CB Chow - Refine the scope of advocacy in the domains. Focus on injury prevention. The difference between "Illness Prevention" and "Disease Prevention"of domain 5 (7 March 2023).

Reply from SP Wu (7 March 2023)​

(1) The eleven domains are the same as the ones of the Progress Curriculum of RCPCH. The wordings originated from the GMC. We tried to map the domains to the "HK Doctors" document issued by the MCHK. In the latter document, the wording was "disease prevention" and not "illness prevention". The meaning of the word was taken loosely and we do not intend for a stringent literal distinction between illness and disease. I suppose illness is broader in a sense, although this is only my take on the word.

(2) I agree that injury prevention was only tangentially alluded to in the Safeguarding domain. I will bring this to the attention of the Working Group.

(3) "Taking the interest and welfare of children as the first and most important consideration" is a learning outcome in Professional values and behavior, although the word "advocacy" appears only in the syllabuses of "Adolescent Health" and "Community Paediatrics". I will discuss with the Working group if the advocacy should be included as a learning outcome.

The Trainer's Report will allow trainers to notify the College if a trainee has significant difficulty. Trainers and trainees should discuss the assessment before the report is finalised and submitted.The College will then offer assistance to the trainee and the training institution.

Which domains does a trainer report assess?
The trainer's report assesses all 11 domains of competencies.

Trainer's report for the trainees

• Trainees are encouraged to reflect on the training progress of the period covered by the report.
• They should put down the development plan for the coming six months under the guidance of the trainer.

Who should sign the report?

• ​The trainee and the assessing trainer should both sign the report.
• Department chiefs or training supervisors should countersign the final report.

How often should trainer's reports be submitted?
Trainer's reports should be submitted at the end of a training module designated by the training institution.

Typically, if a trainee's training has been continuous within the same training institution, a report should be submitted every 6 months. When a trainee finishes an out-of-institution training module (e.g. 3-month training at Family Health Service, Child Assessment Service, or 6-month elective training in another local or overseas institution), a report should be completed by the trainers of that institution at the end of the training, regardless of duration.
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