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Our role approving against postgraduate standards

For postgraduate medical education we approve:

Approved curricula and the role of UK and overseas exams

We approve curricula and assessment systems, including exams, for specialty training to make sure that they meet the assessment standards. 

We have published the approved curricula and the role of UK and overseas exams position paper to clarify the position of exams within GMC approved curricula, in particular exams undertaken outside the UK, both in other European countries and outside Europe and the subsequent eligibility for GP/Specialist Registration.

Dual CCT

We approve dual CCT pairings which are programmes of training across two (or more) specific area of medicine.

Read more about our role approving dual CCT training programmes

Specialty curricula and assessments

We approve the curricula and assessments that doctors in postgraduate training must follow in order to become a consultant in that specialty and be added to our specialist register. We do this against our standards Excellence by design: standards for postgraduate curricula.

See the list of approved curricula by specialty.

Specialty programmes and posts

We approve the training posts and programmes that doctors in specialty training are placed on to make sure that they meet the approved curriculum for that specialty.

Read more about our role approving specialty programmes and posts.

Sub-specialties

We approve sub-specialties, including the curricula and assessments for them, which are programmes of training for a very specific area of medicine.

Read more about our role approving sub-specialties.

GP and specialty trainers

We approve GPs who provide training for GP registrars. We are also working to obtain the legal authority to approve a wider range of trainers – including many of those in specialty training.

Read more about our role approving GP trainers.

Read more about our work to obtain legal authority to approve a wider range of trainers.