Eligibility FAQs

This will depend upon your current status and level of training; trainees with different experience will be required to give different evidence.

The application form will guide you on this, but please also visit the core capability page of this website for more information.

Please note - if you are not currently on, or have not previously completed, a pre-HST UK training programme which is valid for the specialty to which you are applying, you will likely be required to submit a completed 'Alternative Certificate' as evidence of your core competence.

Information on this can also be found on the core capability page of this website; with further guidance and the certificate itself available to be downloaded from the document library.

The short answer is no.

You must only submit one completed form; this must be the 2024 or 2025 version of the alternative certificate for 2025 recruitment. You must have all capabilities as demonstrated on a single form, it is not permissible to submit multiple versions to demonstrate a complete set of capabilities. It is possible for signatories to use evidence from witnesses for capabilities that they have not personally observed. Signatories may receive alternative evidence they know to be reliable from a colleague (if the colleague is a trainee, they must be working satisfactorily as a senior trainee).

If you have an outdated version of the form, you will need to get the most current version of the form fully completed for it to be accepted; the certificate can be downloaded from the Document Library. 

Unfortunately not. The person specification states that evidence of achievement of capability can be demonstrated by, 'current employment in a programme which leads to successful completion of Internal Medicine Stage 1 Training by the advertised post start date for the vacancy'. The advertised post start date is set for each round and is the earliest date on which posts can start (usually the first Wednesday in August for Round 1, and first Wednesday in February for Round 2). If your core programme completion date at time of application is later than this date, you are not eligible to apply in that round.

You cannot apply on the basis of prospectively bringing forward your core completion date, which can only be changed via the ARCP process.

Although some post start dates in the round may be later, you must be due to complete core training by the advertised post start date. It is not possible to be considered for a vacancy on the basis of completing core training before posts starting later than the advertised post start date.

Completion of core training delayed due to deferral

One exception to the above is that the start of training can be deferred on statutory grounds (e.g. maternity leave, ill-health). Please see the Gold Guide for further information.

This includes a period of illness or maternity leave taken during core training prior to making an application. Where applicants are unable to achieve capability by the advertised post start date, but would have been able to had it not been for the statutory reason, they may still apply whilst they complete the time/areas missed. Extended training will need to be organised in the current post to cover the time that was missed. 

Upon receiving an offer, you should contact the employing region to ensure they are aware of your desire to defer your start date and ensure this will be permissible. The final decision on whether a start date can be deferred is at the discretion of the region.

Whilst it is possible to progress through the remainder of the recruitment round subject to completing the examination by a set deadline for that round, should you fail to gain the missing part(s), your application will not be able to proceed any further and any offer made would be withdrawn; this includes if you are appealing your MRCP(UK) outcome.

Please note - alternative examinations or training can be accepted instead of the MRCP(UK) in some circumstances, and the same rules apply but you will need to check the timing of alternative examinations to confirm if it is possible to complete by the deadline.

Candidates who have gained the necessary core capability can apply to HST and progress through the recruitment process.

Provided that your ARCP outcome evidences that you completed the programme except for the MRCP(UK), this can be used as evidence of achievement of capability and should be attached to your form; this will generally be an ARCP outcome 3 or 4.

You can then separately demonstrate completion of the MRCP(UK), although please note that you will need to have gained Part 1 by the time you come to apply to HST. The rules for the completion of subsequent parts can be found on the MRCP(UK) section of the website. 

It is possible to progress through recruitment subject to completing missing parts of the MRCP(UK) by a set deadline for that round. Should you fail to gain the missing part(s), your application will not be able to proceed any further and application withdrawn. In some cases this may even be after an offer made and any offer made would be withdrawn; this includes if you are appealing your MRCP(UK) outcome.

Although the PSRO will be checking results with the MRCP(UK) team, if you know you cannot complete the MRCP(UK) by the requiired deadline, please withdraw your application at that stage.

You are welcome to apply in future recruitment rounds and we advise you to check the timing of future recruitment rounds and MRCP(UK) dates to check when you need to apply and complete the examination by.

UK IMT/ACCS-IM applicants

As well as an 'entry requirement' for HST post, for candidates undertaking UK IMT or ACCS-IM programmes, gaining the full MRCP(UK) diploma is an 'exit requirement' - i.e. they cannot formally complete the programme until they have gained the full diploma.

As such, candidates who will not pass the full MRCP(UK) diploma prior to the completion of their IMT/ACCS programme should contact their current region or programme director to ask for further advice; in some circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for additional training time.

Some specialties accept candidates from alternative training routes (e.g. paediatrics or general practice).

The requirements for when these examinations must be completed will be confirmed on the person specification for that specialty. The timing for when completion is required is the same as for the MRCP(UK) and you should check the timings of exams and their results release dates before you apply. It must be possible to pass outstanding examinations before the deadline given for that round; in some rounds the dates of examinations and when results are released may mean that it will not be possible to be eligible without prior completion of the examination. 

Please review the relevant specialty page and person specification for more information.

You can, the person specification states: If you have previously resigned, or been removed from a training programme in any specialty, you must obtain a Support for Reapplication to Specialty Training form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School and Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook training in. This must be submitted with your application.

This means that if you started any training programme and exited prematurely, your application can only be considered if accompanied by a completed form. The form will state the recruitment year to which it relates. You must ensure you are using the correct form for the recruitment year; forms used in previous recruitment years will not be accepted.

If you need a form, you are advised to contact your training region as early as possible to ensure it is ready to submit with your application.

Incomplete core training programmes

If you did not successfully complete your core training programme, e.g. received an ARCP outcome 6 after year three of IMT, this qualifies and you would need to supply a support form. The only exception is if you exited your core training programme due to not completing the MRCP(UK), and this was the only reason you were released. You will attach a copy of your ARCP outcome to your application in the capabilities section so recruiters can see that this was the case.

Situations where a support form is required include:

• You exited IMT after two years, including if you were awarded an outcome 1 on your IMY2 ARCP.
• You exited IMY3 with an outcome 3 or 4 with requirements other than the MRCP(UK) outstanding.

In short, no. You would only be considered to have resigned from a post if you had formally taken up and begun the specialty training post and then departed from it prematurely at a later date; if you have undertaken a LAT post which has come to its end date, this does not count for this criterion.

If you applied a any training programme previously, and then:

• withdrew your application

• progressed through the recruitment process before declining a post offer

• accepted a post offer, then withdrew prior to starting the post

You would not be considered as having resigned from a post and no form is required.

From 6 October 2019, all medical practitioners have been added to the Shortage Occupation List in the UK.  This means that all medical practitioners are exempt from the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) and can apply for any specialty in any recruitment round, subject to eligibility. Applications from candidates requiring a visa will be considered on an equal basis with those who do not.