Fellowship Criteria

Membership Candidates (holders of MRCP(UK), MRCP(Edin) or MRCPCH)

Candidates in the UK should normally have held a substantive NHS Consultant post or equivalent appointment for at least 11 months before they are nominated, during which period no questions about their performance have been raised. [Locum Consultants posts: the Fellowship Committee would normally expect doctors to have moved into a substantive Consultant post before being nominated for Fellowship.] A General Practitioner should have been an independent general practitioner for 5 years. Doctors working in Hong Kong who have held a Senior Medical Officer post or Associate Consultant post for at least 4 years are eligible for nomination.
Overseas candidates should hold an appointment in their country that is of equivalent standing to a UK consultant appointment.
Candidates should provide evidence of current and future commitment to medical education.
SAS doctors in the UK (Staff and Associate Specialists) are eligible for election to Fellowship, after a minimum period of 10 years post full registration, if they show sustained and significant evidence of extra activities in the areas of clinical, education, managerial responsibility and/or medical research. The expectations for SAS doctors include:
- Publications – 2 in peer-reviewed journals preferably to include international
- Ongoing research – evidence of significant contribution to current research relevant to medicine
- Teaching – evidence of significant, sustained contribution to undergraduate and/or postgraduate teaching
- Management – evidence of significant ongoing contribution to development and/or improvement of patient services
- Involvement in professional organisations related to medicine/healthcare eg Royal Colleges, Guideline Development Groups etc.

Proposers of SAS doctors are invited to provide covering letters outlining their candidate’s careers, and their reasons for proposing the candidates. Proposers seeking additional guidance can contact the Secretary or Vice President (Professional Development).

We encourage the nomination of individuals who are not physicians, where their work has made a significant contribution to the practice of medicine either of itself or through close collaboration with physicians and paediatricians.

Non-Membership Candidates (those NOT holding the MRCP(UK), MRCP(Edin) or MRCPCH)

Fellowship or Membership of a UK Royal College.
Holding a Consultant post or equivalent grade for 5 years or more, although candidates in the UK who have held an NHS Consultant post for a minimum of 2 years are also eligible for consideration. Council has agreed to this because all applicants for NHS Consultant posts must attend an Advisory Appointment Committee (AAC), which always includes a Royal College representative.
Having 5 or more publications in internationally peer reviewed journals (ie journals that are widely read throughout the world).
Having 5 or more publications in national journals in the country where he/she currently practises, OR in a country where he/she has previously practised.
Being involved in ongoing research relevant to medicine.
Being involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Holding office in a national specialist society (eg President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or equivalent).
Being involved in health improvement in his/her country. For example, doctors working in rural areas, working with people below the poverty line, or expanding/improving a service or expanding/improving public health. This must be work which is over and above that normally expected of physicians working in the candidate’s country/area.
Being involved in management.
Non-medical candidates only: If a non-physician, how has the candidate excelled in an area connected with medicine? Non-medical candidates should generally have some medical connection.

Proposers are also asked to note that:

Candidates should not be in a phase of their career where they could use the Fellowship to advance their careers.
Candidates should have attained a substantive permanent post with complete responsibility for patient care (i.e. be of consultant-equivalent status).
Candidates would normally be well established in their own consultant careers.
Normally, having failed the Membership Examination in the past would be considered an important factor against the election of non-Members but if, in the view of the Fellowship Committee, the individual was now of sufficient distinction, that would not be an absolute bar.
SAS doctors should have been in post for a minimum of 5 years.

Other candidates: Other persons of exceptional distinction may be elected under this category, including non-medical candidates who should generally have some medical connection.

Further Information

For further information please contact Avril Harries: + 44 (0) 131-247 3650, e-mail: a.harries@rcpe.ac.uk , fax: + 44 (0) 131-226-6124).