Acceptable Postgraduate Qualifications
This page lists the postgraduate qualifications that we accept as evidence that a doctor applying for full registration with a licence to practise has the necessary knowledge, skills and experience.
The overseas qualifications listed meet the same standards as UK postgraduate qualifications. But this doesn’t mean they’re the same as UK qualifications in every way. It’s important to note that they don’t guarantee entry to UK specialty training.
If a qualification is not on the list below then it is not acceptable for the purposes of full registration with a licence to practise. Please note that you must be granted full registration with a licence to practise within three years of passing your postgraduate qualification or it will no longer be acceptable.
For more information on applying for registration with a licence to practise using your postgraduate qualification as evidence of knowledge and skill please see our guidance.
Contents
- UK postgraduate qualifications
- Overseas postgraduate qualifications
UK postgraduate qualifications
| Awarding Body |
Qualification |
|
College of Emergency Medicine
|
Membership of the College of Emergency Medicine (MCEM)
|
|
Royal College of Anaesthetists
|
Primary FRCA examination
|
|
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
|
Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (MRCOG)
|
|
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
|
Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
|
|
Royal College of Pathologists
|
Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) by examination only
|
| Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCS Glasg Ophthalmology) |
|
Royal College of Physicians of London
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
|
Membership of the Royal College of Physicians MRCP (UK)
|
|
Royal College of Psychiatrists
|
Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych)
|
|
Royal College of Radiologists
|
Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR)
|
| Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (MRCS Ed Ophthalmology) |
|
Royal College of Surgeons of England
or
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
or
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
|
Any of the following:
- Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS)
- Collegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS)
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS)
|
Overseas postgraduate qualifications
The overseas qualifications listed meet the same standards as UK postgraduate qualifications. But this doesn’t mean they’re the same as UK qualifications in every way. It’s important to note that they don’t guarantee entry to UK specialty training.
| Country |
Awarding Body |
Qualification |
|
America
|
American Board of Pediatrics (APP)
|
Fellowship examination
(Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics)
|
|
|
American Board of Anesthesiology
|
Certificate of the American Board of Anaesthesiology
|
|
Australia/New Zealand
|
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
|
Passed the written and clinical exams for FRACP (Paediatrics)
|
|
|
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
|
Passed the written and clinical exams for Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
|
The Australian specialist training programme is six years long. After basic training lasting three years candidates sit written and clinical examinations. Doctors then undertake a further three years training – Fellowship is only awarded after successful completion of this training. If the doctor has passed both the written and clinical examinations
or obtained their Fellowship within the last three years, this is acceptable evidence of a postgraduate qualification.
| Country |
Awarding Body |
Qualification |
| Bangladesh |
Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons
|
Fellowship in Anaesthesia awarded since July 1999
|
|
Europe
|
European Academy of Anaesthesiology or European Society of Anaesthesiology
|
European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
|
|
Hong Kong
|
Hong Kong College of Physicians
|
Membership of the Hong Kong College of Physicians
|
|
Ireland
|
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
|
MRCS (collegiate) examination
MRCSI (intercollegiate) examination
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland
Fellowship of the Faculty or the College of Anaesthetists of the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland
|
|
|
Royal College of Physicians in Ireland
|
MRCP Medicine (Medicine of Childhood)
|
|
Pakistan
|
College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
|
FCPS Paediatrics Pakistan
|
|
|
College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
|
Fellowship in Anaesthesiology awarded since 1998
|
|
Singapore
|
National University of Singapore
|
Master of Medicine (Anaesthesia)
|
|
|
National University of Singapore
|
Master of Medicine (Paediatrics)
|
| |
National University of Singapore |
Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine) |
|
South Africa
|
College of Paediatrics in South Africa
|
FC Paediatrics
|
|
|
College of Anaesthetists of South Africa
|
Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists of South Africa
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
|
Doctor of Medicine (Anaesthesiology)
|
| |
Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Sri Lanka |
MD (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) |
|
|
Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo University
|
MD Paediatrics Sri Lanka
|
|
West Africa
|
West African College of Physicians
|
Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (Paediatrics)
|
|
West Indies
|
University of West Indies
|
Doctor of Medicine (Anaesthesia) awarded since September 2003
|