Competences
You may also find it helpful to refer to the:
I’m a Foundation Programme trainee. What evidence of competency do I need to provide?
As a current year 2 trainee on a recognised programme with a UK Foundation Programme School you will be issued with a FACD 5.2 certificate upon successful completion of your FY2 training. As a current FY2 trainee you are exempt from providing evidence at interview but, you will be required to provide the FACD 5.2 certificate in order to take up any medical specialty training post you may be offered.
My consultant can’t tick all of the boxes on my Alternative Certificate – what can I do?
You may submit more than one Alternative Certificate from different posts in order to show evidence of achievement of all competencies. However, all certificates must relate to paid clinical posts undertaken for at least 3 months fulltime equivalent within the last 3 years (i.e. since 1st August 2009 for 2012 recruitment).
Can I get a consultant from outside of the UK to complete an Alternative Certificate?
For an Alternative Certificate to be complete, the consultant must provide contact details and either their UK GMC Number or details of registration with their registering body. If the consultant is not registered with the UK GMC they are also asked to attach/include evidence of their professional status.
Which Alternative Certificate should I use?
To demonstrate Foundation Competencies you should use Alternative Certificate A or Alternative Certificate B, depending on whether you worked with the consultant in a post with or without acute medical responsibility.
A list of Specialties, divided into acute or non-acute can be found on the Competences page.
Alternative Certificate C is for applicants to demonstrate Core Medical Competencies.
For Foundation competencies is it sufficient that I’m a member of a Royal College and have passed professional examinations?
For Foundation competencies, only standard evidence will be accepted. Standard evidence consists of an Alternative Certificate A or B. This is listed on the Competences page.
The broad spectrum of foundation competences must be demonstrated to qualify the candidate for entry to year one of core or specialty training and standard evidence is the only way to reliably demonstrate these. Specialist qualifications do not demonstrate the breadth of foundation competences so cannot be accepted.
I’ve not worked for 3 months with any consultants within the last three years, so can’t provide an Alternative Certificate – what can I do?
If you are unable to provide the standard evidence of Foundation competencies, for example, you have not worked in a paid, clinical post for a minimum of three months, full-time equivalent, since 1st August 2008 (1st August 2009 for 2012 recruitment) then you are advised to secure a second year UK foundation programme post before applying for a specialty training programme.
Alternatively, you could secure a post that will enable you to demonstrate foundation competency to a consultant who could then provide you with an Alternative Certificate, e.g. a Locum appointment for service or Trust post. Please note this post would have to be a paid clinical post of a minimum duration of three months full-time equivalent.