Applying for the MTI

Criteria for MTI eligibility

You must meet the following criteria to be considered for selection.

MRCOG

You must have a valid Part 1 MRCOG exam pass result which has not expired. This means either:

• you passed the Part 1 MRCOG exam within the last 10 years, or
• you attempted the Part 2 MRCOG exam within 10 years of passing the Part 1 MRCOG

You may hold the Part 2 MRCOG exam. If you attempted and failed it, you are still eligible for the MTI scheme.

The RCOG encourages International Medical Graduates (IMGs) to apply for MTI only once they have passed the Part 1 and 2 exam. However, please note passing the part 2 is still not a requirement for eligibility to  apply  for the scheme.

You must not hold the Part 3 MRCOG.

Language testing

You must have a valid International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate, IELTS Academic, OR a valid Occupational English Test. Only the medicine version of the OET test will be accepted. OET can either be paper-based exam or the OET@Home computer based test. Please note that the IELTS Indicator test is not accepted by GMC.

For OET this means:

• You must get at least a grade ‘B’ in each test area.

For IELTS Academic this means:

• A score of at least 7.0 in each of the four domains of the academic test (speaking, listening, reading and writing) as well as a score of no less than 7.5 overall.
• If you score less than 7.0 in any of the four domains of the test we will not be able to accept your certificate, even if your combined score overall is 7.5.

The scores must be obtained within a single sitting and the IELTS/OET certificate must be in date (it has a 2-year validity from the date of issue) when you apply for GMC registration. You are requested to provide the English language exam certificate even if your courses were taught in English.

You must provide the RCOG MTI Office with your test certificate duly stamped. Provisional results will not be accepted.

For more information, please see the GMC's website on Evidence of your knowledge of English.

You can now sign up for a free Understanding IELTS online course to prepare for your language exam.

Assessment of Training (AoT)

You must have 4 years of supervised postgraduate practice in O&G which has been approved by the RCOG Examination Department. This process is referred to as 'Assessment of Training' (AoT). You will need to submit your Assessment of Training approval letter as evidence.

If you obtained the AoT letter in previous years, please use this document for your MTI application. There is no need to re-apply for the AoT approval letter if it has been issued to you earlier.

If you have not had your training assessed, download the AoT form here and following the application process carefully:

• Send your completed AoT application form to the Exams Department and include 'MTI 2024 applicant' in the subject line of your email.
• The AoT application deadline (for MTI 2024 applicants) is Thursday 19 October 2023
  
  This is so that your AoT application can be fully processed, and an approval letter sent to you, in time for the MTI application deadline. There are no exceptions to the AoT deadline. AoT applications sent after the closing date will be processed for the following MTI round.

Your AoT approval letter must be submitted as part of your application bundle of documents by the MTI application deadline of Monday 20 November 2023.

For queries about the AoT, please read the AoT FAQs or contact the Exams Department at exams@rcog.org.uk

Logbook of clinical evidence

MTI applicants are required to complete a log book and submit this as part of their application. The log book will objectively evidence your procedures and clinical activities and will need to be signed off by your current Clinical Supervisor and HoD.

The content of logbook should be typed not handwritten and include an accurate reflection and summary record of your clinical experience in your current post. Please only use clinical experience gained during the last 12 months of practice. If you do not have an example please leave the relevant section blank.

Other criteria

• The MTI scheme is specifically designed for doctors in training under supervision with fewer than 8 years' experience of working in the specialty. The focus of training is core O&G, at UK ST level years 3-5, aiming to pass Part 2 and/or Part 3 MRCOG.
• We will not consider applications from doctors with more than 8 years' experience in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This includes clinical and research posts.
• You must have no right of residence in the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland. You must also not be in the UK on a dependent visa.
• You must not have held a UKVI Tier 5 visa in the preceding 5 years. A further tier 5 visa cannot be issued within this period.
• You must not already hold GMC registration at the time of applying for MTI, or obtain GMC registration through any route whilst wait listed for MTI.
• The General Medical Council (GMC) Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB) test is designed for those doctors who intend to move to the UK on a permanent basis. On the contrary, the MTI is a ‘learn and return’ training scheme which is only available for those doctors who intend to come to the UK to undertake training for a maximum of 24 months and then return to their home country upon completion of training. MTI training is NOT a route to permanent work in the UK. Therefore, if you have sat the PLAB you are not be eligible for MTI.
  The following exceptions may apply to individual cases:
  • a candidate who has sat and passed part 1 of PLAB over five years ago would be considered for MTI
  • a candidate who has sat and passed part 1 of PLAB between four and three years ago would be considered providing that they provide a satisfactory reason for the change in route to GMC registration
  • a candidate who has sat and passed part 1 of PLAB within the last three years would not be accepted for MTI.
  As per GMC guidelines if you have previously sat and failed any part of the PLAB Test then you are not eligible for MTI.
• The GMC requires trainees to have been engaged in medical practice for at least 3 years of the last 5 years, including the most recent 12 months preceding application for registration . Clinical attachments/observerships do not count. Please contact the RCOG MTI Office at mti@rcog.org.uk to clarify any doubts regarding your gaps in employment and your eligibility to be registered. 
• To be eligible for MTI, you must be currently in full time employment in a substantive O&G post when applying for MTI; if you working in another medical specialty or are not currently in employment, you are not eligible to apply.
• Candidates for the RCOG MTI Scheme will be asked for confirm at the time of application that they have not applied for, are not currently applying for and are not intending to apply during the next 12 months, for an NHS post or a training post in the UK to include other Royal College MTI Schemes or Trust GMC sponsored training schemes alongside the MTI Scheme.  Significant time and resource goes into assessing and shortlisting the MTI applications and the RCOG only intends to select those candidates who are truly committed to pursuing an MTI training post. The RCOG reserves the right to reject / withdraw candidates at any stage of the process if it subsequently comes to light any of the above are applicable.

Checklist for a complete MTI application

Your complete MTI application must consist of the following:

PDF or Word document bundle

• Application form
• Assessment of Training (AoT) approval letter
• IELTS score sheet OR Occupational English Test (OET) score sheet or official proof you have sat the exam by the applications deadline and are awaiting the result
• Completed and signed logbook of clinical evidence
• Passport copy
• Certificates, publications, additional attachments

Two (2) professional references

These must be sent to the RCOG MTI Office directly by the referee by the applications deadline.

Head of department (HoD) form

This must be sent to the RCOG MTI Office directly by the HoD by the applications deadline.

Documents required for an MTI application

You must provide a complete application with all the documents listed below.

Please clearly state your name (in full as it appears in your passport) and RCOG registration number on each document.

All forms should be downloaded, completed and emailed to mti@rcog.org.uk before the deadline.

Any incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Logbook of Clinical Experiencefor RCOG MTI Application

1-5: Combine your own documents into a bundle

The following documents 1-5 should be completed and combined into one single document (bundle).

You must send this bundle attached in one single email to mti@rcog.org.uk using the following email subject:

MTI Application 2024 _ [your name in full] _ [your RCOG registration number]

1. Application form
2. Scanned copy of your valid IELTS certificate OR scanned copy of your Occupational English Test (OET)  or official proof you have sat the exam by the applications deadline and are awaiting the result
3. Scanned copy of the Assessment of Training (AoT) letter from the RCOG Examination Department, confirming your assessment of training for the Part 2 MRCOG
4. Scanned copy of your passport
5. Completed logbook of clinical evidence

The combined bundle should also include scanned copies of any relevant certificates, publications, or additional documents.

All of the above documents must be sent in one (1) email, ideally in the same bundle. We will not be able to track documents for MTI application sent in separate emails and different dates. Before submitting the application, please make sure all required documents for the application are correctly attached and complete.

6-7: Professional references and HoD forms

The following documents 6-7 must be completed and sent to mti@rcog.org.uk directly by/from the supervisors and Head of Department themselves.

6. Two (2) professional references using the Professional reference form
   1. You must ask two (2) referees to complete the reference form for you. One of these must be someone who currently supervises your training.
   2. Referees should be Members or Fellows of the RCOG but we will accept references from other supervisors should you have problems with contacting Fellows or Members.
   3. Reference forms must be sent to the mti@rcog.org.uk separately, and must come directly from the referees themselves.
7. Head of department (HoD) form
   1. Your Head of Department must complete and send the form directly to mti@rcog.org.uk.
   2. If you do not have a direct Head of Department, please ask the most senior supervisor in O&G to complete this form.
   3. Please note that the HoD must not be one of your 2 professional referees.

Make sure your MTI application is complete

You must provide a complete application with all the documents.

Please clearly state your name (in full as it appears in your passport) and RCOG registration number on each document.

All forms should be downloaded, completed and emailed to mti@rcog.org.uk before the deadline.

Any incomplete applications will not be considered.

The combined bundle should also include scanned copies of any relevant certificates, publications, or additional documents.

All of the documents must be sent in one (1) email, ideally in the same bundle. We will not be able to track documents for MTI application sent in separate emails and different dates. Before submitting the application, please make sure all required documents for the application are correctly attached and complete.

Application criteria

• We must receive all parts of your application including references and logbook of clinical evidence by the deadline for your application to be eligible. Incomplete applications, or applications or references received after the deadline, will be rejected.
• There is no flexibility in the criteria for the scheme. All applicants must ensure they obtain the correct IELTS/OET score (including OET@Home) and have the required amount of postgraduate training with no gaps in employment in the last 12 months.
• Complete applications which meet the full eligibility criteria will be taken forward for assessment by the MTI Selection Panel in January 2024.
• You will not be contacted until your application is marked by the assessment panel.
  • Please accept the automatic reply message as confirmation of receipt of your application.
  • We receive an incredibly high number of applications and cannot respond to individual enquiries regarding the application and assessment process.
• If you are shortlisted following the assessment panel you will then be required to attend a panel interview led by the local International Representative Committee (IRC) chairs.
  • Following this, you will be informed whether you have been successful / waitlisted in the MTI 2024. However, this does not mean that you will receive a job offer.
  • Successful candidates will be matched with available posts in order of the scores obtained during the assessment (highest scoring applicants rank top and will be matched with hospitals first).
  • The number of placed applicants will depend on the number of training posts received from Trusts which is dependent on spare training capacity locally.
• We will contact those shortlisted who have not been successfully placed in the MTI 2024 round by mid-October 2024. If not placed but you still meet the eligibility criteria, you would be welcome to re-apply the following year.
• Unsuccessful candidates will not be contacted individually. We regret we are unable to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

Details about your MTI placement

The majority of candidates who are successful can expect to start their placements in the UK in Summer/Autumn 2024. Occasionally the start date may differ but candidates will receive full information.

Successful candidates will be guided through the steps of GMC registration and visa application. Therefore, please do not enquire about this before finding out if you have been successful.

We run only one round of MTI applications per year. The 2024 round opens in October 2023.

Placements on the MTI scheme are paid. The salary that the MTI doctor receives is in line with trainees at a similar level in the UK. All trainees can expect to commence their MTI training at an equivalent salary to ST3 level. Some hospitals take prior international experience into account and some do not. This is at the discretion of the hospital and not the RCOG. Hospitals can employ the MTIs under the 2002 or 2016 junior doctor contract, these have differing pay scales. Read more about this on the BMA website