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Eligibility criteria: checklist & guidance

• Have you received a formal offer of a suitable post within an NHS Trust or Health Board?

  
  

  Guidance:
  

  You must be in receipt of a formal job offer from an NHS Trust or Health Board in order to apply for sponsorship.   The post offered must be at the level of ST3 or above.

  You will be required to submit evidence of your job offer in the form an employment offer letter.

• Since obtaining your Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ), have you completed at least 3 years of full-time clinical practice (equivalent to ST3 in the UK)?

   

  Guidance:
  

  You must have completed at least 3 years of full-time clinical practice and/or training (equivalent to ST3 or above in the UK) since obtaining your PMQ, including the most recent 12 months. 

  Please note: clinical attachments and/or observerships do not count.

   

• Have you been working in a medical capacity continuously for the last 12 months?

   

  Guidance:

  The 12 months counts from the date that your application is submitted. 

  You must ensure that you have been medically active (i.e. in full time employment and registered with the relevant medical regulatory body in your country) throughout that time period. 

  The GMC allows for a gap of up to 5 weeks maximum in the most recent 12 months. 

  If you have gap longer than this you will not be eligible for ISTP.

   

• Have you ever attempted and failed either part of the PLAB test?

   

  Guidance:

  You should have not previously attempted the GMC PLAB test if you wish to apply for ISTP. 

  If you have attempted and failed any part of the PLAB test you will not eligible to apply to ISTP.  

• Have you achieved the required score for IELTS (academic) or OET (medicine version) English language test?

   

  Guidance:

  You must have taken and passed either the IELTS or OET test prior to applying for ISTP.  Applicants will be asked to submit a copy of their test report form to support their application.

   

  International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

  The doctor must have achieved a score of at least 7.0 in all four areas (listening, reading, writing and speaking modules) and an overall score of at least 7.5. The certificate is valid for no more than two years, and must be in date at the point of registration with the GMC.

  Occupational English Test (OET) You need to have taken the medicine version of the test with at least grade ‘B’ in each testing area (speaking, listening, reading and writing). The grades should been obtained in the same test. The test is valid for 2 years. The certificate must have candidate’s number.

   

  Applicants who have not achieved the required score in each section or overall test score will not be eligible to apply.