The Savvy IMG

Useful Links

Official Guidance

Official guidance should always be your first port of call. Sometimes they are difficult to understand or interpret which is where blogs, Facebook groups, and other websites can help. Whatever advice you get from other sources, always check the official guidance after.

These are constantly being updated so do check back regularly!

Check your requirements for GMC registration – this questionnaire allows you to input your individual circumstances so you can get a more personalised list of what requirements you need to provide for GMC registration.

Set up a GMC Online account

Contact: gmc@gmc-uk.org

2-year UK Foundation Programme
Official guidance on how to apply for UK internship as an IMG

Standalone FY2
Official guidance about applying for this 12-month post as an IMG

FAQ – You will find answers to frequently asked questions on the following topics related to the UK Foundation Programme:

  • Using the Oriel website
  • Right to work and visas
  • Situational judgement test (SJT)
  • Eligibility (GMC registration)
  • Eligibility: English Language Proficiency
  • Eligibility: Degree Qualification and Dean’s Statement FAQs
  • Stand-alone FY2: Eligibility
  • Stand-alone FY2: Applications
  • Education performance measure (EPM) score
  • Clinical assessment

Contact: helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

The alternate certificate of Foundation competences has now been replaced by the Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training or CREST.

All the following forms were valid for the 2020 applications. If any forms change for 2021, they will be released around November 2020 and the links here will be updated.

Anaesthetics
Core Level Training Certificate
Confirmation of Core Level Equivalence
Guidance

Core Medicine/Internal Medicine
Alternative Certificate of Core Competence
Guidance about the form

Core Surgery
Certificate of Readiness to Enter Higher Surgical Training
General & Vascular surgery
Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
Orthopaedic Surgery

Emergency Medicine
For ST4 entry, there is no core competence form. Instead, you must provide the following:

  • Letter on hospital headed paper confirming dates, grade and specialty AND
    • EITHER appraisal documentation confirming achievement of all ACCS and ST3 EM + PEM
      competences
    • OR Workplace-based assessments demonstrating all ACCS and ST3 EM + PEM
      competences
  • AND Evidence of an education programme
  • AND A 360-degree assessment

Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery ST3 Alternative Certificate of Core Competence

Paediatrics
Certificate of Completion of Paediatric Level 1 Capabilities

Psychiatry
Certificate C – Core Competence Equivalence Form

Obstetrics & Gynaecology
2020 Alternative Certificate of ST1/2 Competences

Ophthalmology
Alternative Certificate of ST1/ST2 Ophthalmology Competency

You will find all the official information about applying to specialty training in the UK on the HEE website

If you can’t find the answer to your query, the first thing to do is email the official office. Make sure you check the FAQ pages of these websites first before emailing. All the offices are extremely responsive and their advice supersedes anything written in The Savvy IMG.

Person specifications
These are the lists of requirements (eligibility criteria) to apply for all specialties and all grades.

Application guidance
The complete OFFICIAL guide to applying for specialty training. It should answer most questions about how to apply.

Applicant handbook 
Search for “Medical Specialty Recruitment Applicant Handbook” on this page. It is a downloadable PDF which  should answer most questions about how to apply for UK specialty training.

Application timelines 
The general timeline for application to all specialties is given here.

Competition ratios
This tells you the number of applicants for the past 5 years vs the number of available jobs per specialty.

Contact page 
General contact details for applications to specialty training. Each specialty also has their own contact details, please see below.

Oriel 
Applications are made online through this website.

support@hicom.co.uk 
Email this address if you need help with the Oriel website.

You can read further information about each specific specialty here. 

If any of these links don’t work or are outdated, you can search for the relevant information with the terms “specialty recruitment uk + NAME OF SPECIALTY + GRADE (ST1/CT1/ST3 etc + 2020)”

Surgical specialties

Core surgery CT1
Contact: recruitment.eoe@hee.nhs.uk

Cardiothoracic surgery ST1 & ST3
Contact: CTSurgeryRecruitment.WX@hee.nhs.uk

ENT ST3
Contact: ENTrec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

General surgery ST3
Contact page – select “Medical specialty applicants” under the section “Staff group you are applying for” then you will be able to select General surgery

Neurosurgery  ST1 & ST2
Contact: NeurosurgeryRec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Contact: obsjobs.nw@hee.nhs.uk

Oral and Maxillofacial surgery ST1
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery ST3
Contact: OralSurgeryRec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Ophthalmology ST1
Ophthalmology ST3
Contact: SEVRecruitment.SW@hee.nhs.uk

Paediatric surgery ST3
Contact: PaediatricSurgeryRec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Plastic surgery ST3
Contact page – select “Medical specialty applicants” under the section “Staff group you are applying for” then you will be able to select Plastic surgery

Trauma and Orthopaedics ST3
Contact: TOrec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Urology ST3
Contact: UrologyRec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Vascular surgery ST3
Contact page – select “Medical specialty applicants” under the section “Staff group you are applying for” then you will be able to select Vascular surgery

Medical specialites

Core medicine or IMT (Internal Medicine Training)
FAQ
Contact page

ST3 (ALL medical specialties)
Including Cardiology, Dermatology, Neurology etc.
FAQ
Contact page

Emergency Medicine (DRE-EM)/ACCS-EM ST3
Emergency Medicine ST4
Contact: EMrec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Paediatrics ST1 & ST2
Paediatrics ST3 & ST4
Contact: PaedsNRO@hee.nhs.uk

Other specialties

General Practice ST1
Contact: gpnro@hee.nhs.uk

Anaesthetics ST1 & ST3
Contact: anro@hee.nhs.uk

Emergency Medicine (DRE-EM)/ACCS-EM ST3
Emergency Medicine ST4
Contact: EMrec.YH@hee.nhs.uk

Obstetrics and Gynaecology 
Contact: obsjobs.nw@hee.nhs.uk

Ophthalmology ST1
Ophthalmology ST3
Contact: SEVRecruitment.SW@hee.nhs.uk

Paediatrics ST1 & ST2
Paediatrics ST3 & ST4
Contact: PaedsNRO@hee.nhs.uk

Psychiatry CT1
Psychiatry ST4
Contact: psychiatryrecruitment.nw@hee.nhs.uk

Pathology ST1
Contact page – select “Medical specialty applicants” under the section “Staff group you are applying for” then you will be able to select Histopathology

Radiology ST1
Contact page – select “Medical specialty applicants” under the section “Staff group you are applying for” then you will be able to select Clinical radiology

List of evidence required for CESR for each specialty

Additional CESR guidance for surgical specialties

GMC workshops

Directory of Royal Colleges and Faculties

All the Royal College websites will have some guidance about CESR applications and anything related to training.

You will also find information about exams such as fees, dates, and what’s covered in each exam. Any courses, conferences, seminars and events will also be listed.

The Royal College websites are really great sources of information so make sure you read and explore them thoroughly. Contacting the Royal Colleges is also easy and straightforward, don’t hesitate to ask them anything.

Blogs & Vlogs

Blogs and vlogs from successful IMGs in the UK are fantastic sources of information and inspiration. They have insight into the process of applying for GMC registration and landing jobs, and have helped many IMGs on their journey. Official guidance is always changing and blogs can become outdated (even this one!) so as I said, always recheck the official guidance before acting on advice.

Facebook Groups

These groups are a great way to meet other IMGs currently in the process of GMC registration or finding jobs, and to ask questions to successful IMGs working in the UK. To make the most of these communities please ask specific questions and do not use it as a replacement for doing your own basic research. Also, if you require specific immigration advice, it’s always best to ask an expert!

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