Specialty Specific Guidance

We’ve created specialty specific guidance (SSG) for each CCT specialty, in agreement with the relevant royal college or faculty. Each SSG sets out the types of evidence which you are expected to provide to demonstrate the requirements of the application.

It is very important that you follow the guidance carefully and provide a robust body of evidence which meets the requirements as set out in the SSG.

You should use this alongside our Application and evidence guidance, which details how we expect you to name and group your evidence.

You shouldn’t submit your application until you’ve read the specialty specific guidance and gathered your evidence.

How to use your SSG

It's important you read your SSG in full. There is lots of helpful information in the introductory parts of the document, which give an indication of any types of evidence relevant to different learning outcomes in the curriculum and how to cross reference these, how much evidence is enough to meet the learning outcomes, and how to organise your evidence so it’s clear.

Your SSG will also confirm the number of referees required for an application in your specialty, and who these individuals should be, plus how recent the evidence you submit needs to be.

You should always work from the SSG on our website, rather than download and save a copy, as the website version is the most up to date version.

Recency of evidence

You need to submit recent evidence to support your application in line with the information set out in the SSG for your specialty. Evidence falling outside of the time period set out is unlikely to hold weight in your application when reviewed by the evaluators, unless accompanied by current evidence which demonstrates maintenance of competency. The specific period over which evidence is considered current for each speciality is discussed in the SSGs linked below.

Applications are viewed holistically and assessed on their own merits, depending on the overall body of evidence. The following approach is taken:

• A small amount of older evidence may support your application if it’s highly relevant to your specialty. To be relevant it must also be primary evidence and within one or two years of the standard evidence timeframes for your specialty. Such evidence may only require secondary evidence to demonstrate maintenance of competence in that area of the curriculum, although this is dependent on the overall body of evidence you have provided including other recent and robust primary evidence.
• Older secondary evidence will add very little to demonstrating competence: you should not submit this.
• Where much of your primary evidence sits outside of the standard evidence timeframes, this will not demonstrate a robust application and will need to be supported by recent primary evidence.

Curriculum changes 

Some specialties have made significant changes to their curricula. Once a curriculum gets approved and published, you may make your Portfolio application in either the new curriculum or the previous version. We call this "dual running", and it ensures fairness between the CCT and Portfolio pathways. "Dual run" curricula will likely be available until implementation of CCT training for the relevant specialty.

Your SSG page will tell you whether the curriculum for your specialty will be dual run.

Our position statement on Transition of learners to a new curriculum contains further information.

It’s important you check our website regularly for updates to the SSG and curriculum for your specialty.