Internship requirements for GMC registration
For full GMC registration you must show you've completed an internship (or equivalent supervised practice) of at least 12 months, covering at least 3 months of medicine and 3 months of surgery, in a pattern the GMC recognises. If you never did an internship, provisional registration may be possible; if you did one that may not count, check it with the GMC's internship checker and its guidance on which application to make — the GMC decides.
Who this applies to
- Doctors whose internship differs from the UK Foundation Year 1 pattern.
- Doctors who took a short or split internship.
- Doctors who never completed an internship after graduation.
Key requirements
| Minimum length | 12 months (typically continuous) |
|---|---|
| Composition | ≥ 3 months medicine, ≥ 3 months surgery |
| Alternative | May be provisional registration — the GMC decides |
Steps
1. Document your internship rotations
List each rotation with dates, specialty, hours per week and supervising consultant.
2. Compare against the GMC criteria
If you fall short, check which application the GMC says to make before planning.
3. Prepare an internship certificate
The GMC expects an official certificate on institutional letterhead, signed by the medical superintendent.
Common failure points
- Assuming any 12-month post-graduation job counts.
- Missing formal sign-off from the training institution.
Official sources
Every fact above should be confirmed against the controlling source before you act on it.