Oriel is the UK-wide portal and recruitment system for postgraduate dental training vacancies. You use Oriel to submit your application.

Submitting an application

All applications must be made electronically using the new Oriel recruitment portal by the specified deadline.

Late applications will not be considered. The dates and deadlines relating to current recruitment activity are available on the recruitment timeline page.

The GP application form will only ask for factual information about you and your employment history. Once you've submitted your application, you are unable to make any changes, apart from to update your own contact and referee details so please ensure that you do not submit unless it is complete.

All sections of the application form, including employment history, must be completed fully according to written guidelines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application process for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) without right of residence

From 6 October 2019, all medical practitioners have been added to the Shortage Occupation List in the UK. This means that all general practitioners are exempt from the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) and can apply for GP training in any recruitment round, subject to eligibility. There will be no restriction on their appointment.

Details of the application process for IMGs without right of residence can be found on the right to work in the UK page.

Important: Important

Oriel is only supported by these browsers:

  • Chrome v77+
  • Edge v79+
  • Firefox v68+
  • Safari v12+

It is strongly recommended that applicants avoid using a mobile device or internet browsers that have reached the end of their product support lifecycle as these are unlikely to be supported.

Communications about your application

Communication about your GP application will be through direct messaging in Oriel. Oriel will also send an email, but we cannot guarantee delivery, so you should not rely this method of communication.

Oriel will notify you about deadlines, interviews and offers using your registered email address. Make sure [email protected] and [email protected] are on your safe senders list and check the junk or spam folders of your email account regularly.

You should not rely solely on email alerts during the recruitment process. Check the messages section in your Oriel account regularly to make sure you do not miss any important alerts about your application.

You should also make sure that you are using an email account that you can access at any time and will not be blocked by your employer’s IT security system. If you are uncertain about this, you should check with your IT department at work.

Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs)

Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) are clinical training posts that incorporate academic training.

Information:

For more information about applying for academic training, go to the Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) page.

Special circumstances

A standardised national process is available for all specialty recruitment to ensure that applicants with special circumstances and a requirement to train in a specific region are treated in a fair and consistent way.

Information:

Details of the eligibility criteria can be found on the special circumstances page.

Fitness to Practice

If you make a Fitness to Practise declaration on your application form, you must complete a form and submit it to your first preference region providing further information. This must be provided at the time of application.

Information:

For more information, go to the Fitness to Practise page.

Deferred entry

UK applicants can defer the start of their ST1 programme on statutory grounds such as personal ill health or maternity/paternity/adoption leave in line with the Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK (The Gold Guide, 8th edition).

Non-statutory deferment to the start of General Practice training is not permitted.

Applicants must indicate that they intend to defer when they apply. However, once an offer of training has been accepted, all deferment requests will need to be made in writing to the appointing HEE local office or deanery, and not the GP National Recruitment Office (GPNRO).

Transferring your recruitment score from a previous recruitment round

Successful applicants to GP Training from August 2021 onwards  will be able to transfer their Medical Specialty Recruitment Assesment score from one recruitment round to another recruitment round.

This option will only be valid within a 12-month recruitment cycle and depends on the recruitment and selection process being unchanged in subsequent recruitment rounds.

Subject to the above conditions, to transfer your previous, valid GP scores, you must answer yes to the question “Do you wish to carry over scores from a successful application you have previously submitted?” on your GP re-application form, at time of application. At the point of submission, your scores will be automatically transferred by Oriel from your earlier application into your present one.

It will not be possible to make late requests and any requests to transfer scores made outside of the application process will not be considered. Likewise, If you opt in to transfer your scores, this cannot be changed at a later date once the application has been submitted. The process at the point of application is final.

For more information, go to Transferring recruitment scores page.

Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010

All recruiters 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.

If you require any adjustments (for example wheelchair access, additional time, or if you're a nursing mother), you must request the adjustments on the application form at the time of application and ensure the request is evidenced by supporting documentation.

If you require a Reasonable Adjustment for your MSRA, in the Personal Details section of the application form you will need to select Yes to the question:

Do you have a disability which requires any specific arrangements / adjustments to enable you to attend a computer-based test, interview or assessment, or other selection process?" and select the adjustment(s) you require from the list of options.

Requests for reasonable adjustments that are submitted after the application deadline will not be considered.

In some instances, to satisfy requests for adjustments, it may be necessary to schedule your assessment at a specific time or in a specific location.

Combined Training

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) published new guidance on flexibility in training in 2020. This allows you to apply for previous training or experience to contribute to your GP training programme. The maximum contributing time to a GP programme is 12 months, although 6 months is usually the amount agreed.

You must indicate your initial wish to apply for a Combined Training pathway at the time of application by answering "yes" to either the Accreditation of Transferable Capabilities (ATC) or CCT (Combined Programme (CP)) questions in Oriel.

Final applications for ATC and CCT CP are made through the Trainee Portfolio so it's important to register with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as soon as you have accepted a place on a training programme to begin the process.

Capabilities must be mapped to the GP curriculum and reflection and evidence provided to support your application. This will be reviewed and a final decision on how much previous experience can contribute to your GP training will be made at your first Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP), 6 months into training.

Important: Important

Any acceptance onto a Combined GP Training pathway is at the discretion of the HEE local office or deanery and not the GPNRO.

Further details on combined training can be found on the RCGP website.

Accreditation of Transferable Capabilities (ATC)

Experience from another General Medical Council (GMC)-approved specialty training programme. Many core competences and capabilities are common across some, but not all, specialty training curricula. Those gained in one approved training programme should not have to be repeated if moving to another and could be transferred.

CCT (Combined Programme (CP))

Relevant experience from outside a GMC-approved specialty training programme. This might include substantive clinical roles or overseas training and experience. Your previous experience and roles as well as the quality of evidence you provide and how this is referenced against the requirements for GP training will determine your eligibility for this pathway and the amount of time able to contribute.

For more details on Combined Training, you can contact the RCGP’s Specialist Applications team at [email protected].

Reapplication to Specialty Training

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

However, there are some exceptions.

Support for reapplication to Specialty

If you have previously resigned or been removed from a GP training programme, you'll need to provide full details of the resignation, release or removal. This must be provided on the Support for Reapplication to a Specialty Training Programme form (Word, 125KB) and approved by both the head of school or training programme director (TPD) and postgraduate dean in the region where training was previously undertaken. This evidence should be emailed to the confidential email address of your first preference region at the point of application.

Any applications from excluded trainees without submitted evidence will not progress any further in the recruitment process. It is important to note that exam attempts do not re-set if a trainee does re-enter a standard GP training programme.

Go to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) website for guidance on returning to training.

Support for reapplication to Specialty Training in a different region

Trainees currently working in General Practice who are applying to continue their training in another region without a break in service will need to provide information relating to this.

You must gain support from your current region by completing the Support for Reapplication of Specialty Training in a Different Region form (Word, 120KB). This evidence should be emailed to your first preference region at the point of application.

Any applications without submitted evidence will not progress any further in the recruitment process.

Page last reviewed: 19 October 2023
Next review due: 1 October 2024

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