Types of GMC Registration

November 07, 2023

The General Medical Council’s medical register is a full list of all the doctors qualified to work in the UK. Within this, there are different types of registration which doctors must hold to work in different posts in the UK.

All practicing physicians must hold one of these types of registration with a license to practice.

In this article we will discuss the following:

Provisional Registration
Full Registration
Specialist Registration
GP Registration
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1. Provisional Registration

The purpose of provisional registration is to allow medical graduates to complete an approved internship (FY1). After this, trainees will receive a certificate of experience with which they can apply for full registration.

Provisional registration can be held for a maximum of three years and 30 days (1,125 days) only, which would be enough time within which to complete a 12-month internship. This registration will expire after the allotted time, and you will be removed from the register, however, more time can be provided, and you can find out whether you will be eligible here.

What roles can I take with provisional registration?

With provisional registration, the only service post you are able to take is an FY1 service post, other than an approved UK FY1 programme.

Who can apply for provisional registration?

If you are eligible for full registration, you cannot apply for provisional registration.

Applications for provisional registration will be considered from:

UK medical graduate who completed their medical degree at a UK university
Doctors who graduated from outside the UK with an acceptable primary medical qualification (PMQ) and have passed the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB), but have not completed an internship
Doctors who qualified within certain European countries but do not hold the accompanying certificate required to complete their relevant European qualification – you can see a full list of these countries here.

2. Full Registration

Doctors require full registration to work in unsupervised medical practice in the NHS, UK private practice, or to move onto the second year of their internship (FY2) in an approved training programme require a full license to practice.

What roles can I take with full registration?

With full registration, doctors can take up any post aside from GP posts and substantive consultant posts.

Who can apply for full registration?

There are certain criteria you must meet before you are eligible for full registration:

1. Completed the first year (FY1) of the Foundation Programme in the UK

2. Be a Swiss or UK national (or benefit from enforceable community rights) and have either:

A formal qualification listed in The Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications; OR
An acceptable primary medical qualification from outside the EEA (which has been recognised in Switzerland) with evidence of an acceptable pattern of experience

3. Be an international medical graduate (IMG) with an acceptable PMQ, and enough clinical experience to practice medicine in the UK – you can do this in one of 5 ways:

Full registration does not have a time limit, but doctors should note that they are required to go through a revalidation process every five years to avoid the license to practice being withdrawn.

You can read more about the routes to GMC Registration through our IMG Resources library.

3. Specialist Registration

The specialist register is an online list of doctors who are eligible to work as fixed term, honorary or substantive consultants in the NHS, excluding foundation trusts.

If a doctor is on the Specialist Register, it will say so as part of their status on the register, and you will be able to see the specialties (and sub-specialties) they are qualified in, as well as the date they joined the specialist register in each specialty.

Types of Specialist Registration

There are three types of certificates issued by the GMC, and the type of certificate you will receive at the end of your training defines which training route you are on.

You can read more about Specialist Registration for IMGs here.

What roles can I take with Specialist registration?

Doctors who are on the Specialist Register can take up permanent or substantive consultant positions.

Who can apply for Specialist registration?

Eligibility for Specialist Registration depends on your nationality, qualifications and experience. To meet the minimum eligibility requirements to apply you must have either:

A specialist qualification in the specialty you’re applying in

At least six months continuous specialist training in the specialty you’re applying in

You’ll need to provide evidence of how you’re eligible as part of your application. This could be a copy of your qualification or evidence of your employment. In your application you must show that you meet the requirements of the CCT curriculum in your specialty.

4. GP Registration

GP Registration is a requirement for any doctor who wishes to be eligible for appointment to a general practitioner (GP) position in the UK.

Please note that unlike in many countries, GPs in the UK are family and community medicine specialists and if you are an IMG general physician, you would need to apply for full registration, not GP registration.

What roles can I take with GP registration?

Doctors who are on the GP Register can take up posts as General Practitioners in the UK. As well as being on the GP Register, you’ll need to complete a number of other processes before you can start work as a GP in the UK. You'll need to join a Performers List and an Induction or Returner Scheme. You can read more about this here.

Who can apply for GP registration?

Doctors may be eligible for entry onto the GP Register if you have a relevant European GP qualification. You can check which GP qualifications are accepted on the GMC’s evidence of qualifications page. You must also check your qualification is on the list of relevant European qualifications, and that:

The title of it is exactly the same as the one in the list

AND

The qualification was issued on or after the reference date listed.

#IMG Tips

Use the GMC website – there are many useful resources on the GMC website, including a very helpful registration route finder to help you determine which registration you should apply for.
Research/ think about the types of evidence you will need and make a plan for your application, particularly if you will have to sit any exams.
If you want to contact our specialists use our Candidate Portal today!

So there it is, the different types of GMC registration in a nutshell. This is important to understand, particularly for IMGs looking to relocate to the UK and find work in the NHS. If you have any further questions about GMC registration or your route to the UK, please get in touch with us here.

Follow us on social media through the links below for regular news and updates on the Royal Colleges, relocating to the UK and working in the NHS:

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CV Preparation with a bespoke session with one of our specialists
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Contract and offer negotiations for salary, relocation packages, tenure, and more

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