• Home
• Medical Education
• Specialty Training
• Colleges and Deanery Recruitment
• News and Events
• Contact Information

• Specialty Training 2012
• Specialty Training 2011
• Specialty Training 2010
• Introduction to Training
• Overseas Applicants
• Recruitment Process
• Stage 1 - Getting Started
• First Steps
• Overview of recruitment
• Quick Guide to Specialty Training 2010
• Timeline for recruitment process
• Are you eligible to apply?
• When to apply
• Training Structure 2010
• National Recruitment in 2010
• Stage 2 - Choosing your Specialty
• Stage 3 - Vacancies & Applications
• Stage 4 - Interviews & Offers
• Help & Guidance
• Gold Guide
• Feedback & Complaints
• Publications

There are strict rules about eligibility to apply for specialty training in England.  If you are submitting an application in 2010, you will need to make sure that you meet all the eligibility criteria by the application closing date.  These are indicated on national person specifications and should be included in application details. Full details will be available from the recruiting office advertising the post you are interested in.  Application forms will ask for information to show that you satisfy the criteria and you may be asked to provide further written evidence at interview.

In preparing for this, you may find the following eligibility checklist useful. Use the links to jump to more information about each point.

• Confirmed registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) or General Dental Council (GDC)
• Right to work in the UK
• English language skills
• College exams
• Match to person specification
• Match to specialty level
• Evidence of achievement of Foundation or equivalent competences

Eligibility checklist

 

Confirmed registration with the GMC or GDC

You will need to hold full General Medical Council registration status and a current licence to practice (General Dental Council registration status is also required for OMFS) by the time of appointment of post (unless you are applying to Public Health training and you are from a background other than medicine).  You will need to confirm this when you apply. More information is available on the GMC website.

 

Right to work in the UK

UK and EEA nationals and doctors whose immigration status entitles them to work as a doctor in training in the UK are eligible to apply for specialty training.  Evidence of immigration status would be a date stamped passport and an accompanying letter from the Home office detailing which type of visa has been granted.  Both of these documents need to be dated as at or prior to the application closing date.

Other non-UK or non-EEA nationals with limited leave to remain in the UK, whose employment will require a Tier 2 visa, are subject to the resident labour market test.  This would include, for example, doctors on student visas or Tier 1 Points Based System who are restricted from taking employment as a doctor in training.  The labour market test means that you would only be considered if there were no suitable UK or EEA national (settled status) candidate for the post.

You will be asked to bring your passport and proof of your immigration status to any interviews or assessments you attend.

 

English language skills

If your undergraduate training was not in English, you will need to provide written evidence of English language skills e.g. valid English Language Testing System (IELTS 7.0) certificate, confirmation your undergraduate training was in English or other written evidence verified by an appropriate employer or supervisor.  You will be required to bring this with you to any interviews or assessment centres that you attend.

It has been agreed for 2010 the required IELTS score is 7 in all domains (speaking, listening, reading and writing), to be achieved in a single sitting and within 24 months of the time of application.

 

College exams

If college exams are a requirement for entry at the level to which you are applying, you must have received notification of having sat and passed the exam by the closing date of your application.

 

Match to person specification

Each specialty has a nationally agreed person specification that lists the required competences for that specialty.  You will need to provide evidence to prove that you have achieved the specified competences. 

 

Match to specialty level

The following shows the possible levels of entry to specialty training and a general guide to the required competences.  You should refer to the appropriate person specification for details.

It is important that you study the person specification for each entry level for the specialties to which you are considering applying.  The person specifications clearly state the entry requirements for each level and this will help you decide which is the most appropriate for you.  Applying to the most appropriate level will optimise your chances of success.

• Specialty training year 1 and core training year 1 (ST1/CT1)
  If you are applying straight from the UK Foundation Programme, you will need to show, through your portfolio, that you will have achieved the Foundation Programme competences by the end of July 2010. You must have achieved the competences or equivalent within three years prior to your application.
  
  If your training was with a different programme, you will need to provide written evidence that you have achieved the equivalent competences. (See further details in the section below on evidence of achievement of Foundation competences.)
  
  To enter at ST1 and CT1 you cannot have already held a post for more than 18 months (by the time you take up the new post) in the specialty to which you are applying. 
• Specialty training year 2 and core training year 2 (ST2/CT2)
  Typically, you will have achieved the competences or equivalent from the first year of specialty training (ST1) or will be on track to do so by end July 2010.  For further information, see the specialty training curriculum available from the relevant royal college website. There is no limit on experience for eligibility for selection to ST2/CT2.
• Specialty training year 3 (ST3)
  Typically, you will have achieved the competences or equivalent from the first two years of specialty training (ST1 and 2). For further information, see the specialty training curriculum available from the relevant royal college website. There is no limit on experience for eligibility for selection to ST3.
• Specialty training year 4 (ST4)
  Typically, you will have achieved the competences or equivalent from the first three years of specialty training (ST1, 2 and 3), or you will have the entry requirements for former higher specialty training programmes (i.e. Specialist Registrar (SpR) programmes). For further information, see the specialty training curriculum available from the relevant royal college website. There is no limit on experience for eligibility for selection to ST4.

Evidence of achievement of Foundation or equivalent competences

One of the essential criteria (listed above) to be considered for appointment to a specialty training post is evidence of achievement of Foundation or equivalent competences by the end of July 2010.

If you are (or have been) a UK Foundation trainee, you should be able to provide a Certificate of Completion of Foundation training (FACD 5.2). You will be expected to provide a copy of this for your employer when you take up your post.

If your training was with a different programme, you will need to submit an Alternative Certificate showing all competences achieved in a post of at least three months duration since August 2007.  View certificates A and B in the related documents. (A for specialties with acute medical responsibilities and B for other specialties).

 

Please note:

• Evidence of higher professional exams in other disciplines is not accepted as evidence of Foundation competency.
• Evidence in a non-standard format is not accepted
• If, because of your refugee status, you are unable to provide standardised evidence of having achieved Foundation competence, you should contact your first choice deanery for advice.