Recruitment to most specialty training posts is dealt with locally by Deaneries and further information relating to this can be found here.

The length of training varies and can take between three and eight years depending upon the specialty that has been selected. This is obviously a key decision point in a doctor’s career and a great deal of thought should be put into choosing. You will hopefully have been preparing for this early on, even since medical school but certainly during the Foundation Programme.

There are career planning tools on this site to help you make your decision. A  four stage structured approach is recommended, looking at:

The career path through specialty training differs dependant on the specialty that you choose. It is a complex system and you are urged to become fully aware of the options open to you and to carefully consider the route that you want to take in your career. It is useful to remember that demand for certain specialties may change and the availability of jobs now may change in the future.

Recruitment into specialty training is very competitive and you will need to complete a strong application form and also perform well at interview to get onto your chosen career path. Upon successful completion of specialty training a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) will be awarded. Once the CCT has been awarded doctors are eligible to join the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register and then apply for consultant jobs when they become available in their specialty.

Full and detailed information on specialty training can be found on the Modernising Medical Careers website.