Alternative Certificate of Eligibility to Enter Higher Surgical Training

This certificate may be used to confirm the competencies expected at completion of Core Surgical Training.

Instructions for applicants

This form is not required if:

• You are currently a Core Surgical Trainee as evidenced by written confirmation from the relevant programme, have a satisfactory ARCP outcome after Core Training Year 1 and are on track to achieve a satisfactory ARCP outcome at the end of Core Training Year 2. OR
• You have already completed an approved Core Surgical Training programme as evidenced by written confirmation from the relevant programme and written confirmation of a satisfactory ARCP outcome at the end of the programme

ALL other applicants should have this certificate completed. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from the application process.

Please note:

1. This certificate should only be completed and signed by consultants / specialists in independent practice in surgical specialties:

• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Otolaryngology
• Paediatric Surgery
• Plastic Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Urology
• Vascular Surgery

2. You MUST be able to demonstrate ability in ALL the listed competencies by time of application. You may ask either:
   • one consultant / specialist to complete the whole form or
   • more than one consultant / specialist to complete those sections they are able to in order that the WHOLE form is completed
3. Consultants / specialists can only sign this form if you have worked with them for a minimum of 3 months. They should initial (not tick) the boxes on the form.
4. ALL sections of the form MUST be completed. Failure of the consultant(s) / specialist(s) to complete all the details about themselves is likely to result in you, the applicant, being withdrawn from the selection process. Check the form yourself.
5. Please note that applicants using the alternative certificate of core surgical training for entry into a surgical specialty will be awarded a Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration – Combined Programme (CESR (CP)) rather than a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) upon successful completion of their higher specialty training programme.  For more information, please refer to the GMC website.

Instructions for Consultants and Specialists completing this form

The person asking you to complete this form is applying for a higher surgical training programme in the UK. In order to process their application, we need to know they have achieved the competencies listed on this form to the standard expected of UK Core Surgical Training year 2 doctors.

The competencies are taken from the UK General Medical Council’s principles for Good Medical Practice and from the syllabus for Core Surgical Training in the UK as detailed on the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) website

Please note that the applicant has to demonstrate ALL the listed competencies. If you are unable to comment on any of the competencies, please leave that section blank. The applicants are instructed to have as many consultants / specialists as are required to contribute to this form to demonstrate they have all the competencies.

Only sign the competencies that you are able to confirm. You do not need to have personally witnessed all competencies but should be satisfied that any you sign off have been achieved and that there is no reason why these competencies are in doubt or should prevent progress to ST3. Examples of how you can satisfy yourself about attainment of a competency include:

• your own observation of them
• confirmation from another supervisor that the candidate possesses the competency
• (for those maintaining one) viewing their ePortfolio.

Any competencies claimed to have been acquired during a CST programme MUST be evidenced within their ePortfolio. Alternative evidence of the competency achieved and demonstrated subsequent to leaving the CST programme must be provided for any which are not recorded in the ePortfolio.

Please use your initials to complete those sections of the form you feel able to do so

Each Consultant / Specialist contributing to this form must complete their own separate declaration as failure to do so will render the applicant ineligible for this application round.