Applying

Before you apply for Specialty Training you should check that you're eligible.

The posts will commence from August 2027 onwards. When applying you will not need to select particular posts, regions, rotations, just complete and submit the application.

You will have the opportunity to rank all the posts available nationally at a later stage in the selection process.

Applying online through the Oriel Recruitment System

All applications must be submitted via Oriel, we are unable to accept any applications outside of this system.

Account registration

You will need to create an account (account registration) if you have not previously before you can apply to a vacancy. After registration, you will be able to apply and track the progress of your application. When logging into Oriel the link to register is available in the right-hand corner of the welcome page.

Resource Bank

A document repository is held within Oriel and is accessible without logging in. The resource bank includes all the national forms you will need to apply, along with an applicant user guide that will assist you in using the system at each stage of the recruitment process. You can access the resource bank by clicking 'Medical and Public Health Specialties' on the welcome page.

Please ensure you are only logged into Oriel in one browser window, on one device, as having multiple windows open may impact updates you make.

Communication

Our primary method of communication during the recruitment process will be to message candidates via Oriel and the messages will appear on your applicant dashboard.

We will also send the correspondence via email; however, delivery of emails cannot be guaranteed as they are being sent externally to Oriel and should not be relied upon.

At key points in the selection process, we will also send a text message.

We recommend that you do not opt out of text messages as the messages will be sent with key information that you will need to action.

Person specifications

You will need to ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in the Ophthalmology ST1 Person specification.

When applying to an ST1 training position in Ophthalmology, you can only have up to a maximum of 30 months' experience in the specialty by the interview date. This includes overseas experience and time spent in Medical Ophthalmology.

Any time spent in the specialty at foundation level or in research, teaching posts or time spent observing does not count towards experience in the specialty.

Additional evidence

You may also need to complete and submit additional evidence as part of your application form. All the forms listed below can also be found on the Medical Specialty Training website.

Evidence of Foundation competences

You are required to provide evidence of achievement of Foundation competence within the 3 and a half years prior to the intended start date for the post you apply to.

These competences are in line with General Medical Council (GMC) standards and Good Medical Practice and include:

• Make the care of your patient your first concern
• Provide a good standard of practice and care
• Take prompt action if you think that patient safety, dignity, or comfort is being compromised
• Protect and promote the health of patients and of the public
• Treat patients as individuals and respect their dignity
• Work in partnership with patients
• Work with colleagues in the ways that best serve patients’ interests
• Be honest and open and act with integrity
• Never discriminate unfairly against patients or colleagues
• Never abuse your patients’ trust in you or the public’s trust in the profession

There are 5 ways you can demonstrate that you possess foundation competence. The application form will ask you a series of questions to help you determine the most appropriate form of evidence for you to submit.

Please ensure you read the questions carefully and answer them correctly as this will affect the documentation you are required to provide.

Currently on a UKFPO affiliated Foundation Programme

If you are currently on a UKFPO affiliated Foundation programme which is due to finish by the advertised start date you will need to confirm the name of your Foundation School. You do not need to submit any evidence at the time of application.

Any offer of a training programme will be conditional upon successful completion of the Foundation Programme and being awarded a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC) before the advertised start date.

If you are undertaking a ‘Stand Alone’ FY2 post that is not part of a recognised Foundation Programme attached to a UK Foundation School and you do not expect to be awarded with an FPCC upon satisfactory completion, then you must answer No to the question on "Are you currently on a UK Foundation Year 2 Programme?"

You will then be required to submit alternative evidence as detailed below.

Already completed a Foundation programme

If you have already completed a UK Foundation Programme within 3 and half years of the start date, you will be asked to confirm that you have been awarded an FPCC.

You must attach a scanned copy of you FPCC to your application.

You will be required to upload a copy of your FPCC your Oriel application at the time of application.

You will be required to provide the original certificate as part of the pre-employment checks.

Currently on a Specialty Training programme

If you are currently in an active clinical or clinical and academic practice in a UK educationally approved training post (CT/ST/LAT or equivalent), holding either a National Training Number (NTN) or Deanery Reference Number (DRN), you will be considered as having had your foundation competence assessed on entry to your current post.

You do not need to demonstrate these again, regardless of when foundation competences were signed off.

You are not required to upload a copy of your FPCC or Alternative Certificate/ Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST).

Please ensure that you enter your NTN or DRN on your application where requested.

Previously resigned from Specialty Training in Ophthalmology

If you are applying for a specialty where you have previously held a NTN or DRN but voluntarily resigned before completion, you can upload evidence of satisfactory progress with training prior to resignation in the form of Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP) documentation.

This can only occur when the specialty being applied to is the same as the specialty that you were previously training in.

You will need to submit a 'Support for Reapplication to a Specialty Training Programme' form with your application.

Download the file from the supporting documents webpage.

Started but not completed Foundation Training

If you have started but not satisfactorily completed a 2 year UK Foundation Programme or a standalone UK Foundation Year 2 post, you can provide a letter written and signed by the Postgraduate Dean where the previous training took place.

This letter must use the standard proforma and must include:

• Dates of the previous training
• Confirmation of the reasons for the resignation, removal or relinquishing of your post in the Foundation Programme
• Confirmation that you have met the requirements and/or demonstrated the competences of foundation training
• Confirmation that you have completed a period of remediation, if applicable

If you are not covered by the above

If you do not fall into any of the above categories will be required to submit a Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST), 2024 version.

There is full guidance for both candidates and signatories, and we strongly recommend that you refer to these documents 'Evidence of Foundation Competence' within the Medical Specialty Recruitment website prior to submitting your application.

The form needs to be signed by a consultant who has supervised you for at least 3 months (whole time equivalent and continuous period) in the 3 and a half years prior to the advertised start date for the training programme to which you are applying.

You must submit a single scanned CREST form with your application.

If you are applying as refugee and unable to complete the certificate, please contact [email protected] for further details.

Reapplication to Specialty Training

Specialty training posts and programmes are not normally available to any doctor who has previously relinquished or been removed from a training post/programme.

When applying for a post, applicants will be asked if they have previously relinquished or been released or removed from a training programme in any specialty; this is no longer limited to the specialty the applicant is applying to and/or the associated core programme if applying at higher level.

If the applicant answers yes to this question, they will need to provide full details of the resignation/release/removal from the training programme to the recruiting organisation, by email, at the point of application.

This includes applicants who have resigned from a training programme with satisfactory ARCP outcomes.

This should be provided on the Support for Reapplication to Specialty Training Form approved by both the Head of School/Training Programme Director and Postgraduate Dean in the region where the specialty training was previously undertaken. This form is available to download from the specialty training recruitment website.

A new form has to be completed, with appropriate support for application, each recruitment year.

Forms completed in previous recruitment years will not be accepted.

Applicants requiring this support are advised to start the process early as applications will not be considered without a fully completed and signed form.

The completed form should be emailed to [email protected] before the closing date of applications.

Please note: Applicants who have previously resigned, relinquished or been removed from a training programme, but are in a training programme (in any specialty) at the time of application do not need to submit a support form. As they are in a training programme, it is assumed that they have received appropriate support previously.

Reapplication to switch location

Applicants currently working in the specialty, holding a National Training Number (NTN), applying to continue their specialty training in another region, will be required to submit a Support for continuing Specialty Training in another region form.

A new form must be completed, with appropriate support for application, each recruitment year.

Forms completed in previous recruitment years will not be accepted.

The form should be completed and signed by the current Head of School/Training Programme Director and submitted at the time of application.

The form is available to download Support for continuing Specialty Training in another region form from the Medical Specialty Recruitment website.

The completed form should be emailed to [email protected] before the closing date of applications.

If already in specialty training and you are applying for the same specialty again, in open competition, please advise your current Training Programme Director as soon as possible and ideally before an application is submitted.

Submission and approval of post numbers for recruitment happens well in advance of training programmes being advertised.

Being aware of a potential vacancy could assist Training Programme Directors with the management of their training programmes.

Early communication of intention to the Training Programme Director will not affect your application.

Fitness to Practice

Applicants that have answered 'yes' to one or more of the questions in the fitness to practice section of the application form will need to submit a Fitness to Practice declaration form clearly defining the declaration.

The completed form should be emailed to [email protected] at time of application.

Adjustments under the Equality Act 2010

As a national recruiter we are aware of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate requests provided these are made known in advance. Adjustments cannot be guaranteed if contact is made late and no adjustments can be made on the day of the assessment.

If you require specific arrangements or adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, please outline the adjustment on page 8 of the application form.

To corroborate your request, you must attach independent evidence of your condition and support needs, for example, an Educational Psychologist report for Dyslexia, or correspondence from a medical professional managing your condition, to your application form by time of submission.

Please use the ‘Document upload’ area in your Oriel portal to upload the information.

Nursing mothers are advised to contact us directly via [email protected] for further advice regarding this requirement.

Special circumstances

A national process has been introduced to assist applicants who need to remain in a specific region for well founded personal reasons allowing them to be offered a particular region, should they be successful at interview.

Applicants with either a personal medical condition or disability that requires them to remain in a particular region for ongoing care and treatment or applicants who have primary caring responsibilities for someone with a disability are eligible.

Eligibility will be considered at the time of application and therefore applicants must ensure that they declare this on their application form and submit supporting evidence by email.

Applicants should follow the process that is published on the Special circumstances page of the Medical Specialty Training recruitment website.

Submitting an application

Applications can be submitted until 4pm on Thursday 19 November 2026.

Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Only one application can be accepted and where multiple applications are submitted, only the first application submitted will be included in the process.

If you fail to provide the appropriate documentation your application will not progress beyond the longlisting checks.

Alterations cannot be made to an application once it has been submitted.

Remember to save and check your application and only press the submit button when you have carried out this process. This will ensure you are submitting the most up to date version of your application.