These guides explain how to prepare an application. The original vacancy and its recruitment authority decide eligibility, required documents, selection stages and deadlines. Role suggestions use published job titles and simple matching rules; choose another guide when a title is ambiguous.
Your application, step by step
Identify the grade and clinical scope
Check whether the post is a training role, general practice, hospital specialty, consultant appointment or dental role. Match your completed training and experience to the precise grade and specialty criteria.
Start the professional checks early
Find the medical or dental regulator for the destination country. Confirm the applicable recognition and registration route and when authorisation must be in place. Qualifying for an automatic recognition route still involves an application to the competent authority.
Prepare a clinical career record
Use a dated employment and training history. Include registration status, qualifications, relevant experience, audit, teaching and service improvement. Explain gaps factually and obtain referees’ agreement before supplying their details.
Apply through the employer’s stated route
Submit only the documents requested for the recruitment stage. Keep qualification recognition, specialist recognition and employer selection records distinct. If authorisation is pending, describe its real status and ask the employer whether that meets the notice.
Prepare for selection
- Prepare anonymised examples of teamwork, prioritisation, a safety concern and learning from feedback.
- Review the service’s published remit and the responsibilities of the grade; explain how your experience meets them.
- If a presentation or clinical assessment is announced, prepare to the published scope and local professional standards.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a job offer as permission to practise.
- Assuming a general licence also proves specialist recognition or that a qualification from outside the EU follows the same recognition route.
Official guidance
Check the current instructions from the recruiting organisation before submitting.