ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to apply for a GP Specialty Training you will need…

To hold a recognised primary medical qualification
To be fully registered with the UK GMC at the time of application OR passed both parts of PLAB and be eligible for full UK GMC registration at time of application
To have recently achieved Foundation Competency (see below)
To be able to demonstrate proficiency in English language
To be able to legally work in the UK

All applicants will be assessed against the competencies outlined in the National Person Specification which can be accessed from our download section. Please see below for detailed guidance about how you can demonstrate evidence of achievement of Foundation Competency. Further information about the training requirements for general practice, is available from www.pmetb.org.uk

Evidence of Foundation Competency

The 2010 person specification for Specialty Training for General Practice includes
"Evidence of achievement of Foundation competences between 1st August 2007 and 3rd August 2010 in line with GMC standards/Good Medical Practice including:

Good clinical care
Maintaining good medical practice
Good relationships and communication with patients
Good working relationships with colleagues
Good teaching and training
Professional behaviour and probity
Delivery of good acute clinical care

All must be demonstrated without exception using the prescribed evidence as outlined on the GP national recruitment web site."

Possession of Foundation Competence is essential for successful applicants to cope with and proceed successfully through GP Specialty training. It is crucial that this is evidence of current competence rather than historical evidence, as any competency must be sustained to be useful, and to act as a firm foundation for GP Specialty training. It is not sufficient to have achieved each competency once. Competencies must be achieved, maintained and demonstrated.

The acceptable methods for demonstrating Foundation Competency are based upon our experience of previous applicants. This experience has shown other evidence submitted by candidates to be insufficient. For example, qualifications in specific other specialties do not demonstrate the breadth of Foundation Competences and such candidates are not typically readily able to cope with GP Specialty training. Some candidates have achieved competency across the spectrum once but since that time focused their career in a small area. The breadth of the competences must be confirmed as demonstrated to be capable of entering GP Specialty training.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to satisfactorily demonstrate that this criterion has been fulfilled.

Demonstrating Achievement of Foundation Competency (updated for 2010)

There are a 3 ways you can demonstrate your achievement of foundation competency. The application form will ask you a series of questions to help you determine the most appropriate form of evidence. Your answers to these questions will also allow us to assess your eligibility to apply for a GP specialty training programme and you will be expected to provide standardised documentation to verify your answers.

This guidance is provided to help you to prepare your 2010 GP application.

If you are currently undertaking a recognised foundation programme in the UK, we will ask you to confirm the name of your Foundation School. You do not need to do anything else. Any offer of a programme will be conditional upon you successfully completing this programme and being awarded an FACD 5.2 before August 2010. If you are undertaking an F2 post that is NOT part of a recognised foundation programme attached to a UK foundation school, then you must answer NO to this question on the application form and you will be required to submit alternative evidence as detailed below.
If you have completed a UK foundation programme within the last 3 years (since 1st August 2007), we will ask you to confirm that you have been awarded an FACD 5.2. You will be able to attach a scanned copy of your FACD 5.2 to your application. If you do not do this, you will be required to submit a copy to your first choice deanery once your application has been submitted. You will be expected to provide the original certificate when you attend Selection Centre.
If you have not undertaken a UK foundation programme within the last 3 years, you will be able to submit alternative evidence by asking a consultant who has supervised you for at least 3 months since 1st August 2007 to attest to your achievement of foundation competency. There are two "Alternative Certificates" available for download; one for specialties WITH acute medical responsibilities and one for specialties WITHOUT acute medical responsibilities. A list of specialties with acute medical responsibilities is available from our download section. You may submit more than one Alternative Certificate from different posts in order to show evidence of achievement of all competencies but both Certificates must relate to posts undertaken for at least 3 months since August 2007. You will be able to attach a scanned copy of the certificate to your application form. If you cannot do this, you will be required to submit the certificate to your first choice deanery for assessment once you have submitted your application.
We expect ALL doctors applying to a specialty training programme to have had a least 24 months experience in educationally approved posts, either in the UK or overseas since gaining their primary medical qualification before commencing a specialty training programme.
If you are unable to provide any of the above because, for example, you have not worked since 1st August 2007 then you are advised to secure a second year UK foundation programme post before applying for a GP specialty training programme. Alternatively, you could secure a post that will enable you to demonstrate foundation competency to a consultant who could then provide you with an "Alternative Certificate", eg. A locum or Trust post or FTSTA post.
We understand that Refugee doctors may have less access to standardised documentation and in rare cases may not be able to obtain an "Alternative Certificate". If you are unable to provide any of the above because of your Refugee status, you should contact your first choice postgraduate deanery for advice before submitting your GP application form. Refugee doctors will be required to provide an Alternative Certificate wherever possible.

Download Alternative Certificate A - (for posts with acute medical responsibilities)
Download Alternative Certificate B - (for posts without acute medical responsibilities)
Download List of Specialties with Acute Medical Responsibilities here

Note: Applications for August 2010 must use the 2010 Alternative Certificates. Previous documentation from 2009 will not be accepted.

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Page last updated: 07-10-2009
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