Eligibility FAQs

This will depend on the reason for not possessing an FACD 5.2. If it is because you are currently undertaking a UK or UK-affiliated foundation training programme, or a stand-alone or headroom F2 programme, then any offer of a CT1 post you receive will be conditional upon you successfully completing your foundation programme and being awarded an FACD 5.2 prior to August 2012.

If you have not undertaken a UK/UK-affiliated foundation training programme, or have not completed one since 31 July 2009, you will need to provide alternative evidence. To do this, you must ask someone who has supervised you for at least three months (whole time equivalent) since 1 August 2009 to complete, authorise and sign either 'Certificate A' or 'Certificate B'. The certificate must be completed in full, with all competences rated as 'Able to Demonstrate'.

Which of the two certificates needs to be used will depend upon whether or not the post in which the supervisor in question supervised you was one with acute medical responsibilities; if so, you must submit Certificate A; if not, Certificate B.

Please visit the downloads section of this website to see lists of posts with and without acute medical responsibilities. Certificates A & B are also available for download from this area of the site.

This alternative certificate must be submitted to your first-choice deanery by the application submission deadline. To submit the certificate, either scan a copy of it and send in an email; upload a copy of the certificate to your application; or contact the deanery/UoA to discuss the most appropriate method of submitting the form.

Provided the actual training was completed - and thus achievement of foundation competences was officially gained - after 31 July 2009, as suggested in the relevant person specification, then this is the important factor, rather than the actual date on your FACD 5.2.

If you have not undertaken a UK/UK-affiliated foundation training programme, you will need to provide alternative evidence. To do this, you must ask someone who has supervised you for at least three months (whole time equivalent) since 1 August 2009 to complete, authorise and sign either 'Certificate A' or 'Certificate B'. The certificate must be completed in full, with all competences rated as 'Able to Demonstrate'.

To decide which of the two certificates to fill in - if the post in which the supervisor in question supervised you was one with acute medical responsibilities, you must submit Certificate A. If the post was one without acute medical responsibilities, you must submit Certificate B.

Please see the downloads section of this website to see lists of posts with and without acute medical responsibilities. Certificates A & B are also available for download from this area of the website.

This alternative certificate must be submitted to your first-choice deanery/UoA by the application submission deadline. To submit the certificate, either scan a copy of it and send in an email; upload a copy of the certificate to your application; or contact the deanery/UoA to discuss the most appropriate method of submitting the form.

Unfortunately, we are not able to give advice or specific guidance to candidates with regard to individual queries on immigration/visa status. Immigration issues are particularly complex, hence it is appropriate that personnel with a deeper and more formal understanding of this area are those with whom you should discuss this.

We are afraid that this applies both to the information contained within this website and our email helpdesk. While we are keen to provide as much assistance and information to CT1 applicants as is possible, equally or possibly more important is to avoid giving people inaccurate or misleading information. Unfortunately, as the issue of immigration is outside of our remit, we cannot be confident that our understanding of the topic is sufficient to avoid this.

Any information relating to immigration/visa issues contained within this website, our applicants' guide or provided by our helpdesk is that which has been provided to us by the Department of Health and the UK Border Agency. As such, we would recommend that any candidates with queries relating to their visa or immigration status, and if/how this will affect their eligibility for CT1, should contact those bodies for further information.

Some candidates may be considered before others on the basis of immigration status in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. If you are not a UK or EEA national, but your immigration status entitles you to work without restriction in the UK, you will be considered on an equal basis with UK and EEA nationals.

Where possible, it is requested that refugees provide an alternative certificate (A or B).

If your refugee status prevents you from accessing standard documentation and/or contacting recent supervisors, and thus prevents you from obtaining alternative certification of achievement of foundation competency, please contact your local postgraduate deanery for advice before submitting your application.

Deaneries should be able to provide assistance in order to obtain documentation demonstrating achievement of foundation competency.

Please note that in most cases, this does not apply to those seeking asylum, as asylum seekers are not eligible to apply - the majority of asylum seekers do not have the right to work while seeking asylum.

The maximum of 18 months' experience in the specialty only applies to CT1 (ie first-year) posts. It is possible that you may be eligible for CT2 (ie second-year) posts; here, the experience required is a minimum of 12 months in the specialty, with no maximum figure stipulated.

Person specifications for CT2 posts in CMT and ACCS-AM are available on the DH medical specialty training website

Please note that recruitment to CT2 posts is not coordinated nationally via our process here, and takes place on a local, deanery-by-deanery basis. Please contact directly any deaneries/UoAs to which you wish to apply for further information.

To be eligible for CT1 posts, candidates must have no more than 18 months' experience in medical specialties, anywhere in the world - excluding any experience accrued during foundation training or equivalent.

Posts do not need to have been designated formally as 'training' to count towards this experience figure. LAT, ST, SHO, FTSTA or equivalent posts can all count towards this figure.

When you apply to CT1, you do not need to be registered with, and licensed by the GMC at the time of application; however if you are not registered, it will be necessary to demonstrate that you are eligible for GMC registration and licensing. You must have obtained GMC registration & licensing by the time of starting a CT1 post (ie August 2012).

On the CT1 application form, where candidates are prompted to select their current (at time of application) level of GMC registration/licensing, those who select 'None' will be given the opportunity to explain their particular circumstances in a free-text box within that section.

We would advise checking the GMC website for further information on eligibility.

If you undertook undergraduate medical training in English, you are not required to provide further evidence of your English skills. If you did not, then you will need to supply evidence of your English skills to support your application.

The most common method by which candidates can do this is via the IELTS - International English Language Testing System. The minimum IELTS requirement is for a candidate to achieve a score of 7 overall, and a minimum of 7 for each component (speaking, listening, reading and writing). Also, this must have been within 24 months of your application.

Applicants who did not undertake English undergraduate training and who do not possess valid IELTS qualification will need to provide other supporting evidence of their English skills.

In most cases, it is likely that a letter from a supervisor attesting to your language skills will be suitable - although we would advise verifying this with any particular deaneries to which you wish to apply. The following information should be included in this letter:

• Name and position of the person confirming English language skills (preferably your current or most recent supervising consultant), ie the author of the letter.
• How long the author has known the applicant, and in what capacity.
• Confirmation of satisfactory English language skills in all domains (reading, writing, comprehending, speaking).
• This must be written on the employer's headed notepaper (ie hospital / Trust-headed paper), and signed by the employer.

Please note that communication will also be assessed at the interview stage.