| What is Article 14? | | | | One useful tool for doctors wishing to apply via |
| The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training | | | | Article 14 is the use of a 360° assessment. |
| Board (PMETB), which gained its full statutory | | | | The aim of this is to gain feedback from the |
| powers in September 2005, regulate postgraduate | | | | colleagues and patients who you work with based |
| education for doctors in the United Kingdom. One | | | | on the GMC guidelines that are used by the |
| of its present responsibilities is to coordinate | | | | PMETB to assess your application. This form of |
| applications to the Specialist Register made by | | | | assessment can be mediated by your hospital if |
| hospital doctors via Article 14, which is the | | | | the service is available, or by an external |
| process whereby hospital doctors who have not | | | | company. |
| followed the conventional specialist training route | | | | When collating your evidence anything that you |
| but who have gained the equivalent experience | | | | refer to in your CV-such as a management |
| apply for inclusion to the register to become | | | | report or a guideline development proposal-must |
| eligible to work as a consultant in the NHS. | | | | be included in your supporting evidence. |
| To apply or not to apply? | | | | Common errors made by applicants |
| Most emphasis is placed on the applicant's training, | | | | To avoid unnecessary delay in your application |
| qualifications, and the experience they have gained | | | | being assessed, avoid the most common |
| in their last five years of practice. Together with | | | | mistakes: |
| this, the applicants are assessed on six different | | | | - Supporting documents (for example, |
| evaluation criteria based on the General Medical | | | | confirmation of post letters) not having been |
| Council's (GMC's) Good Medical Practice guidelines. | | | | validated with an official stamp from the relevant |
| These are: | | | | hospital |
| - Good clinical care | | | | - Copies of certificates such as degree, royal |
| - Relationships with patients | | | | college membership, or development courses |
| - Maintaining good clinical practice | | | | attended not having been validated by a person |
| - Teaching, appraising, and assessing | | | | of good standing |
| - Working with colleagues | | | | - Insufficient or excessive evidence being |
| - Probity and health | | | | included-the supporting evidence should not |
| The first thing we ask doctors approaching us for | | | | exceed one lever arch box file |
| assistance who are deciding whether or not to | | | | - The responsibilities and experience gained not |
| apply via Article 14 is whether they have | | | | being clearly described separately for each post |
| discussed their intentions with their current Medical | | | | - Any gaps in employment not being accounted |
| Director and other referees. Discussing your | | | | for |
| intended application with your referees and other | | | | What happens once I have submitted my |
| sources can establish whether you have gained | | | | application? |
| enough experience to become a consultant. The | | | | Firstly, the PMETB will confirm that you have |
| Article 14 application process comprises four | | | | provided all of the necessary evidence required. If |
| steps: | | | | this is not the case they will write to you |
| - Compiling and submitting your application | | | | requesting additional information. Once they have |
| - Confirmation that your application contains all of | | | | all of the evidence they require they will then |
| the necessary evidence | | | | request structured reports from your referees. |
| - Completion of structured reports by referees | | | | When these are complete your application is |
| - Assessment and decision by royal college or | | | | assessed by the relevant royal college or faculty |
| faculty and the PMETB | | | | against the PMETB criteria for entry to the |
| - Compiling and submitting your article 14 | | | | specialist register. The PMETB will then make a |
| application | | | | decision based on these recommendations, |
| The actual application you submit to the PMETB | | | | together with guidance from any other experts, |
| comprises three parts: | | | | as to whether you are deemed competent to |
| - A fully up-to-date CV in the format stipulated | | | | enter the specialist register. If the outcome is |
| by PMETB | | | | negative the applicant does have the right to |
| - Completed PMETB application form | | | | appeal to an independent panel. |
| - Supporting evidence | | | | Taking your application forward |
| It is important to note that the assessment panel | | | | You can gain support and advice about your |
| will only have your completed application form, | | | | PMETB application from a variety of sources, |
| CV, and supporting evidence together with the | | | | including your royal college about specialty specific |
| feedback from your referees to make their | | | | issues; the PMETB help line (0800 028 0644 for |
| decision. It is therefore vital that your application is | | | | UK callers; +44 020 7535 5830 for overseas |
| clear and easy to follow. The PMETB has come | | | | callers); and from organisations such as |
| under criticism for the delay in processing Article | | | | Developmedica who can provide a comprehensive |
| 14 applications so it is vital that your application is | | | | PMETB Article 14 service to help with the |
| as complete and ordered as possible to avoid any | | | | completion of your CV, application, and collating of |
| unnecessary delays. | | | | supporting evidence. |