Most overseas radiologists coming to the UK want to attain their CESR in Radiology.
In this article we look at the specialty specific guidance on evidence required for entry onto the Specialist Register for Clinical Radiology. This is entry to the specialist registration with a Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration or CESR.
What is CESR in Clinical Radiology in the NHS?
As a Clinical Radiology specialist, attaining CESR will mean you are qualified to practice at consultant level in the NHS in Clinical Radiology. Have a read through our CESR articles found in the IMG Library to understand a little more.
Do I need FRCR to attain CESR in Clinical Radiology?
Not necessarily. Whilst it is a benefit to attain FRCR, and you may have already attained MRCP or FRCR as your route to GMC registration, you do not necessarily require FRCR to attain CESR in Clinical Radiology. Any doctor wishing to attain Specialist Registration via the CCT route must attain FRCR.
What is the indicative period of training for a CCT in Clinical Radiology?
The indicative period of training for a CCT in Clinical Radiology is five years it is highly unlikely that you would achieve the competencies required for a CCT in a shorter period of time. This training consists of the following:
3 years in Core Training AND
2 years in Higher Training
During Higher Training, competence is expected to be achieved at Level 1 or Level 2 which indicates the greater degree of expertise to be achieved by those intending to practice in one or more special interest areas. CESR applicants must demonstrate that they have achieved the competencies in each of these areas.
You should refer to the Clinical Radiology Curriculum documentation before you make your application to ensure that you can demonstrate the required competencies.
Submitting Evidence:
Do not submit original documents – this is very important.
All your copies, other than qualifications you’re getting authenticated must be accompanied by a proformas signed by the person who is attesting to the validity and accuracy of your evidence (your verifier). It is very important that you read an explanation of how to do this in the GMC’s important notice about evidence.
Please note you will also need to submit translations of any documents that are not in English and you must ensure the translations you submit meet the GMC translation requirements.
How much evidence should you submit?
The GMC recognises that doctors will often not have all the evidence required for a complete CESR application, often many doctors will start their application and delay starting their application until they are able to gather all the evidence.
The evidence must cover the knowledge, skills and qualifications to demonstrate the required competencies in all areas of the Clinical Radiology Curriculum. If evidence is missing from any one area of the curriculum, then the application will fail.
If you have a piece of evidence that is relevant to more than one domain, do not include multiple copies in your bundle. Instead include one copy and list it in your evidence list under each relevant area, stating that the document is located elsewhere.
The GMC asks that only evidence that is strictly relevant is sent as it will help them to process the application quicker. The guidance on compiling your evidence will help you to decide what is relevant and what is not – make sure you are reading the latest version on the GMC website – here.
It is important to note that evidence that is more than five years old will be given less weight than more recent evidence, so you may not need to include it. As a general guide, an application for CESR could expect to see around 800-1000 pages of evidence.
Types of Evidence:
The types of evidence are divided into four different domains, the GMC recommends that you apportion the evidence provided as per the pie chart below:
Please note, you cannot compensate for evidence lacking in one area by providing more evidence in another area.
Key Evidence Requirements – advice from the FRCR’s Equivalence Committee:
Evidence must demonstrate that you have achieved ALL the requirements and competencies as set down in the relevant CCT curriculum.
Where you have worked in a specialised area for a substantial period of time, evidence will be required to the following effect:
That at one stage in your career you achieved the requirements and competencies of the relevant specialty curriculum
These skills have been maintained within the last five years
Your current specialised practice allows you to meet all of the domains above
You must submit evidence to demonstrate that you can practise competently and independently across the breadth of the CCT curriculum
Key Evidence Requirements – Summarised:
In summary you are expected to demonstrate competence across the core requirements of the radiology specific content of the curriculum:
breast, cardiac, emergency radiology, gastro-intestinal, general and non-vascular intervention, head and neck, moledcular imaging, musculoskeletal, neuroradiology, oncological, paediatric imaging, radionuclide radiology, thoracic, uro-gynaecological and vascular radiology, in the relevant technique-based areas (plain film including mammography, CT, US, MRI, nonvascular interventional procedures, fluoroscopy)
You are also expected to demonstrate the equivalent Level 1 and/or Level 2 competencies required for Higher training, in one or more areas of special interests.
Key Documents to submit with your application:
Take a look at the GMC’s SGPC – SSG document to affirm the information above and to understand the key documents recommended by the Royal College of Radiology’s Equivalence Committee.
Make sure to anonymise your evidence:
It is very important to anonymise your evidence before submitting it to the GMC. You must remove the following:
All patient identifying details
Details of patients’ relatives
Details of colleagues that you have assessed, written a reference for, or who have been involved in a complaint you have submitted. This includes:
names (first and last)
addresses
contact details such as phone numbers or email addresses
NHS numbers & other individual patient numbers
GMC numbers
In Summary:
If you have any questions or uncertainties, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the IMG Connect team. However, your official point of reference for any queries should the GMC – they can answer and provide the most updated information on CESR applications for overseas Radiologists looking to work as NHS Consultants in Clinical Radiology.
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In our IMG Resources library you can read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!
Get in Touch
Get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss radiology job opportunities in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.
As an overseas radiologist, how do you find NHS job opportunities in Radiology?
Vacancies for radiologists practicing outside the UK can be found in a variety of ways. Some radiologists find it challenging to find the right job, that fits their training and relocation preferences whilst they will also find it hard to know about the local area.
Working with IMG Connect will give you easy access to vacancies for consultants, junior and senior middle grades whilst always offering clear training opportunities, CESR pathways and balanced job plans.
IMG Connect Job Search Page
The IMG Connect job search is a dedicated online recruitment service for overseas doctors looking to secure a job in the NHS. View out latest NHS jobs radiology here.
Save time and get expert advice based on your preferences
Performing a job search online can take up a lot of your time, so at IMG Connect we are here to do the time-consuming work for you. Upon registering, you will have a dedicated consultant whose role is to find jobs that match your skills, and apply for NHS jobs on your behalf.
You can receive jobs updates by E-mail to view new posts to suit your job search every day.
Create a profile – it takes 30 seconds
It really is that easy, so why not take advantage of our resources, time and energy to find you the right job in the NHS suited to your preferences. By providing us with some key details we can quickly assess which jobs are best suited to your preferences, and even email you job alerts for new exciting roles which we think will interest you!
We understand you, and our clients
When looking for a radiology job in the NHS, it can be hard to try to find out key information before applying, such as:
What specialty specific training there will be?
Am I likely to get a training post after taking this role?
Can the trust support CESR applicants and is their CESR programme established enough for my needs?
What career progression is available for me within the radiology specialty?
What is the job plan and how much time will I spend on the ward?
What is it like to work and live there?
What salary will I get paid, and can I get extra pay for additional shifts?
It can be tricky to get all the answers you want before applying online, so we spend our time getting to know both our clients and you, finding out as much key information as possible to help you to make the right decisions. Including details on the radiology department, hospital & trust, as well as an overview of what it is like to live in the area, including housing and the cost of living, as well as access to schools for your children, childcare and finding work for spouses.
Making an impact
We will also provide you with top tips on CV writing, job applications and interviews, ensuring that your application and interview makes the most impact with our NHS clients.
Making it personal
Once registered, you can quickly search and apply for NHS jobs using our job search, and take advantage of many useful articles written to support you through your journey to the UK. In addition, when you sign up to 'job alerts' we will automatically email you each time a relevant Radiology vacancy comes available that you may be interested in.
Once logged in, you can also save job details and make applications.
By registering with IMG Connect, you will:
Have a dedicated consultant who understands your preferences and will do the time-consuming job searches and applications for you.
Find your ideal NHS position among thousands of unadvertised vacancies - from consultant to registrar, or specialty doctor to SHO.
Be the first to hear about new vacancies – registering with IMG Connect means that your CV will gain priority with our NHS clients, and will professionally represented by international recruitment experts.
To help you find a job in the NHS simply follow these easy steps:
Register with IMG Connect
Fill in the 'Personal details' section.
Arrange a chat with your dedicated IMG Consultant
Sign up to receive 'job alerts’
Search our live radiology jobs
Searching for radiology jobs in the NHS could not be easier
If you want to find out more about the many different radiology roles available within the NHS - it only takes a minute to register with IMG Connect and receive expert advice and representation. We have helped many overseas radiologists into consultant, specialty doctor, registrar, clinical fellow and staff grade NHS roles, whilst offering expert guidance to many more IMGs on NHS doctor pay, royal college qualifications and English language testing. We’d be happy to help you!
IMG Jobs
Search and find live NHS radiology jobs in the UK
IMG Resources
In our IMG Resources library you can read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!
Get in Touch
Get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss radiology opportunities in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.