Postgraduate Medical Education & Training Board: FAQs


July 2006

You can find a comprehensive list of FAQs on the PMETB website on the following link - http://www.pmetb.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=370

What is PMETB?
aims, purpose & background What is Article 14?
getting on to the Specialist Register through the different parts of Article 14 The Application Process
general guidance on the application process General Questions What is PMETB?
The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) is an independent statutory body, responsible for overseeing the development of postgraduate medical education and training for specialties, including general practice, across the UK. It was established by the General and Specialist Medical Practice (Medical Education, Training and Qualifications) Order 2003, approved by Parliament on 4 April 2003. The board assumed its statutory powers on 30 September 2005 taking over the responsibilities of the Specialist Training Authority of the Medical Royal Colleges (STA) and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP) for certifying that doctors have reached a level of competence to be included in the Specialist Register.

Who is on the board?
There are 25 Board members and 8 lay members who have been drawn from all over the UK, with representation from each of the devolved nations. Members of the board with professional affiliations do not sit as representatives of their various organisations. For a current list of board members please visit the PMETB website - http://www.pmetb.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=375.

Does PMETB have any responsibility for undergraduate medical or dental training?
No. The Board's remit only covers basic and higher specialist training, and not:
  • undergraduate medical education, nor that of pre-registration doctors, which remains the responsibility of the General Medical Council (for further information, please visit the GMC website at www.gmc-uk.org and universities, or
  • undergraduate and postgraduate dental education and training, which remains the responsibility of the General Dental Council (for further information, please visit the GDC at http://www.gdc-uk.org.
How do the registers function?
Along with the medical register, there are 2 supplementary registers held by the General Medical Council (GMC): the specialist register and the GP register. Any doctor wishing to practise in the NHS as a consultant or a GP needs to be on either the specialist or GP register, respectively. The UK qualification required for inclusion in the specialist or GP register is the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) which is awarded by the PMETB. Doctors who have not undertaken the traditional UK training route and wish to gain access to either the specialist or GP register can apply to the PMETB for an assessment of equivalence. Doctors who gain entry to the register via this route are not awarded a CCT.
Is there SAS representation within PMETB?
Although SAS doctors still do not have any representation on the main board, PMETB have recently appointed a SAS doctor to each of its statutory committees.

Following a round of applications and interviews, we are pleased to announce that Mr Mohib Khan (Chairman of SASC UK) has been selected to represent SAS doctors its Assessment committee, while Dr Kate Bullen will represent on the Training committee.

A SAS doctor for the purposes of a statutory committee is defined as:

"[...] a registered medical practitioner employed in the Hospital and Community Medical Services of the NHS in a staff grade, as an associate specialist or otherwise under contract to an NHS organisation in a post requiring full or limited registration as a medical practitioner and who is not on the Specialist Register or contracted to work in an NHS training grade as a Senior House Officer, General Practice Registrar or Specialist Registrar.”

Where can I find out more about PMETB?
More information can be found on the http://www.pmetb.org.uk/

The board may also be reached at:

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board
Hercules House
Hercules Road
London
SE1 7DU

Tel: 020 7160 6100
Fax: 020 7160 6102
Email: info@pmetb.org.uk

What is Article 14?
Article 14 is one of 31 Articles which make up the General and Specialist Medical Practice (Medical Education, Training and Qualifications) Order 2003. Article 14 enables those doctors, trained in the UK, who do not hold a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) or Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) holders, to be assessed for entry to the GMC Specialist Register.

What is the Specialist Register?
The Specialist Register is a list of all those doctors who are legally entitled to take up honorary, substantive or fixed consultant posts in the NHS. It is maintained by the General Medical Council go to http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/before_you_apply/registration_factsheet.asp for further information.

Can I apply under Article 14(4) if all my training, qualifications and experience has been obtained in the UK?
Yes.

Can I apply under Article 14(5) if all my training or qualifications has been obtained in the UK?
No. Article 14(5) is restricted to doctors with specialist training or qualifications obtained outside the UK.

How much training need I have undertaken overseas in order to apply under Article 14(5)?
The minimum amount of overseas specialist training that PMETB will consider for meeting the requirements of Article 14(5) is a continuous period of six months.

Why does getting on the Specialist Register with a CCT grant freedom of movement through Europe whereas getting on the Register via Article 14 does not?
European legislation recognises specialist qualifications for EEA nationals with EEA primary medical qualifications. People who successfully apply under Article 14 for inclusion to the Specialist Register are granted a Statement of Eligibility for Registration. This is a standard of equivalence, not a qualification awarded after approved training which meets the minimum standards specified in European legislation and therefore does not fall within European mutual recognition arrangements.

Who makes the decisions on applications?
PMETB makes the final decision on all applications.

Do I need GMC registration to apply for Article 14?
No, you do not need GMC registration to apply for Article 14. However, Article 14 only provides 'eligibility' to be registered on the Specialist Register. The GMC controls who is placed on the Specialist Register and if an applicant is awarded eligibility under Article 14, the GMC will still require registration before the applicant is listed.

Who should I contact for an update on my application?
If you would like an update on your application you should contact PMETB directly. You can either send PMETB an email info@pmetb.org.uk, or call them on 0871 220 3070

When is an Article 14 application deemed complete?

An application is deemed completed when:

(1) The PMETB has received all the relevant supporting documentation and evidence. This includes proof of identification; all necessary supporting validated evidence; a full and current curriculum vitae; a list of referees; and payment of £950.

(2) PMETB has received the five structured reports from the applicant's nominated referees.

Once these have been completed you will be informed by PMETB. PMETB then has three months to reach a decision.

How much does an Article 14 application cost?
An Article 14 application costs £950, however this is due to rise to £1250 in April 2007.

Article 14(5) disenfranchises UK trained non schedule 3 doctors, what is the BMA doing about this?
SASC UK expressed concerns that the lack of clarity and definition about Article 14 is leading to misunderstandings. The committee also continued to express concerns about Article 14(5) which we believe may discriminate against those doctors trained in the UK. SASC (UK) is continuing to seek legal advice on this issue.

Do the specialty specific guidance notes require an exit examination as part of the evidence required by PMETB?
PMETB has published specialty specific guidance (SSG) notes produced by the royal colleges. The SSG’s can be accessed through the PMETB website. SASC (UK) has raised concerns about the surgical specialty-specific guidance which appear to require an exit examination as part of the evidence required for an application under Article 14. SASC(UK) is currently taking this up with PMETB.

What is the role of the Article 11 and 14 subcommittee?
The PMETB Article 11 and 14 subcommittee was established in order to aid the setting up of PMETB’s processes and to help SAS doctors to make an Article 14 application. This committee was disbanded in December 2005, to the regret of its members. SASC is presently looking into the reasons this committee is being disbanded so early in the Article 14 application process and is seeking clarification from PMETB itself.

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