Acceptable Postgraduate Qualifications

This page details the postgraduate qualifications that we accept as providing sufficient evidence of a doctor’s knowledge and skill, for the purpose of full registration.

If a qualification is not on the list below then it is not acceptable for the purposes of full registration. Please note that you must be granted full registration within three years of passing your postgraduate qualification or it will no longer be acceptable.

For more information on applying for registration using your postgraduate qualification (PGQ) as evidence of knowledge and skill please see our guidance.

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 (MROG)
  • 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 Surgeons of Glasgow (Ophthalmology) (FRCSG Ophth)
  • 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)
  • 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 England
  • Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
  • 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

Country

Awarding Body

Qualification

America

  • American Board of Pediatrics (APP)
  • Fellowship examination

(Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics)

 

  • American Boards of Internal Medicine
  • US Boards of Internal Medicine

 

  • American Board of Anaesthesiology
  • Certificate of the American Board of Anaesthesiology

 

  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  • American Board of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Parts I and II

Australia/New Zealand

  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians
  • Passed the written and clinical exams for FRCAP (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

 

  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians
  • Passed both the written and clinical exams for Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Part 1

The Australian specialist training programme is 6 years long. After basic training lasting 3 years candidates sit written and clinical examinations. Passing both these examinations is acceptable evidence of a postgraduate qualification. Doctors then undertake a further 3 years training – Fellowship is only awarded after successful completion of this training.

 

  • Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
  • Passed the written, clinical and oral examinations for Membership of RANZCOG

Bangladesh

  • Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons
  • Fellowship in Anaesthesia awarded since July 1999

Canada

  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • Fellowship in Anaesthesia

 

  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • FRCPS Paediatrics Canada

 

  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or Quebec
  • Fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Europe

  • European Academy of  Anaesthesiology or European Society of Anaesthesiology
  • European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care

Hong Kong

  • Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists
  • Fellowship in Anaesthesia awarded since January 2001

 

  • 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

 

  • Royal College of Surgeons in 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 (Paediatrics)

Pakistan

  • College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
  • FCPS Paediatrics Pakistan

 

  • College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
  • Fellowship in Anaesthesiology awarded since 1998

 

  • College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
  • Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (Medicine)

Singapore

  • National University of Singapore
  • Master of Medicine (Anaesthesia)

 

  • National University of Singapore
  • Master of Medicine (Paediatrics)

South Africa

  • College of Paediatrics in South Africa
  • FC Paediatrics

 

  • College of Physicians South Africa
  • Fellowship of the College of Physicians South Africa

 

  • College of Anaesthetists of South Africa
  • Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists of South Africa

 

  • College of Surgeons of South Africa
  • Fellowship of the College of Surgeons South Africa (FCOG)

Sri Lanka

  • University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • Doctor of Medicine (Anaesthesiology)

 

  • Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo University
  • MD Paediatrics Sri Lanka

 

  • University of Colombo
  • MD Colombo (Medicine)

West Africa

  • West African College of Paediatrics
  • FWACP Paediatrics West Africa

West Indies

  • University of West Indies
  • DM Paediatrics West Indies

 

  • University of West Indies
  • Doctor of Medicine (Anaesthesia) awarded since September 2003
© Copyright General Medical Council 2008. All rights reserved.

Approved practice settings

What is an approved practice setting? See our page on  Approved practice settings.

FAQs

Read our frequently asked questions about the New Registration Framework.

Information for employers

Click on this link and look at the right hand panel for our New Registration Framework information for employers.