The nMRCGP is the new membership examination of the Royal College of General Practitioners.  This examination must be passed in order to gain a Certificate of Completion of Training and be eligible to be entered on the GMC's GP register.  You can not legally practice as a GP in the UK without being on this register.

The nMRCGP is the new membership examination of the Royal College of General Practitioners.  This examination must be passed in order to gain a Certificate of Completion of Training and be eligible to be entered on the GMC's GP register.  You can not legally practice as a GP in the UK without being on this register.

The nMRCGP is made up of 3 components:

• The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) - this is a multiple choice test of the knowledge base relevant to General Practice.  It can be taken at any time during GP training but you have the highest chance of passing if you take this in your ST3 year.

• The Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) - this is a specially developed OSCE type assessment.  It has been designed to examine your ability to integrate and apply clinical, professional, communication and practical skills appropriate for general practice.  You will be allocated a consulting room at the examination centre and 13 actors will visit you as simulated patients. Each one of your 10 minute consultations will be observed by an assessor, and marked against a predetermined marking schedule.  It is recommended that you have at least 6 months experience working in UK General Practice before taking the CSA.  Most people will therefore take this in the final 6 months of ST3.

• Work Place Based Assessment (WPBA) - This is defined as the evaluation of a doctor's progress over time in their performance in those areas of professional practice best tested in the workplace.  information on evidence of competence across 12 competency areas is recorded over the whole 3 years of training.  This evidence is collected in a web based ePortfolio.  There are many tools available to help demonstrate competencies and evidence is reviewed with your educational supervisor or trainer on a 6 monthly basis.

The best revision for passing the nMRCGP is working hard in your practice.  Almost everything you need to know about being a GP will be available for you to learn there.  This learning will take place through surgeries, tutorials, practice meetings and Out of Hours care. 

The teaching you receive through the VTS course will also assist you in passing this examination.  however, we ask you to bear in mind that although some topics may not seem immediately relevant and useful to the nMRCGP, all areas of medicine are relevant to General Practice and therefore to any examination in General Practice.  The aim of the VTS teaching is not just for you to pass the exam, it is to ensure that once you have successfully completed your GP training, you have the necessary skills and attitudes for a long, healthy and happy career in General Practice.

More information on the nMRCGP, the components and the application process is available on the RCGP website www.rcgp.org.uk 

The RCGP Certification Unit and PMETB

The endpoint of GP Training is the issue of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or a Certificate confirming Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR).  Certificates can only be issued when GP training has been satisfactorily completed and the nMRCGP has been passed.  There are two agencies involved in the issuing of certificates and you will need to apply to both.

The RCGP Certification Unit

You will need to become an Associate Member in Training (AiT) of the Royal College of General Practitioners.  You should do this as soon as you begin your GP training.  Fees vary so please see the RCGP website for up to date figures - www.rcgp.org.uk. 

The RCGP Certification Unit are responsible for evaluating individual doctor's training and making sure they have achieved the satisfactory level to be deemed competent to practice as GPs.  The final review of your ePortfolio will generate a CCT application form.  This can be sent to the Certification Unit electronically if applying for CCT or by post if applying for CEGPR.

The Certification Unit will review the application and any supporting documents and once satisfied they will make a recommendation to the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), that a CCT/CEGPR can be issued.

PMETB

The PMETB are an independent regulatory body who have responsibility for certifying doctors for entry onto the GMC's GP register.  In the last six months of your GP Training, the RCGP Certification Unit will send you a PMETB CCT application form.  If everything is in order at your final review of your ePortfolio with your Trainer, you should complete the PMETB CCT application form and send this as the same time as sending the RCGP Certification Unit CCT application form.  Supporting documentation, photos and a fee are required.  So it is recommended you check the PMETB website for further details - www.pmetb.org.uk.

Once PMETB have received confirmation from the RCGP Certification Unit that you are eligible for a CCT, then they will begin processing your application and will eventually issue you with your certificate.  This can take many weeks so it is important to get all application forms and supporting documents in as early as possible.  If your CCT is delayed, it will delay you starting work.

 

IT IS ILLEGAL TO PRACTICE AS A GP IN THE UK WITHOUT A CCT OR A CEGPR
AND WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED AS A GP WITH THE GMC.