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Enrol on to PMST

“In a world with rapidly evolving innovation, PMST has provided me with a strong foundation to understand the complexities of the entire drug development lifecycle, enabling me to structure my work effectively. PMST has both challenged and supported me to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards, and most importantly, it has equipped me to lead clinical trials and advance science with integrity to improve the lives of patients.”

Dr Gemma Williams MFPM

Read Gemma's full reflections

Read our simple steps on how you can get into Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training.

Stage 1: Application process

1.1. Things to consider

Before deciding to enrol on to the Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training (PMST) programme, the pharmaceutical physician should consider the following questions:

Do you know why you want to enrol on to the PMST programme?
Do you have the time to commit to undertake the four-year specialty training programme?
Do you work in the UK for a pharmaceutical organisation that is a GMC-approved training location?
Will your employer support your training, give you the time to attend courses and provide you with the opportunities to complete the specialty and generic capabilities in practice (CiP) in-work or by attending external courses?

1.2. Eligibility criteria

The potential applicant must:

a) be GMC registered with a licence to practise
b) be working in pharmaceutical medicine in the UK with a UK-based pharmaceutical organisation that is a GMC-approved training location
c) have completed at least four years of clinical training and/or experience
d) be prepared to complete the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine
e) have met other criteria for pharmaceutical medicine
f) have a GMC-approved Educational Supervisor (ES) in pharmaceutical medicine.

The applicant can find out whether they are eligible to enrol on to the PMST programme before submitting an application by completing our CV template and returning it to FPM’s Specialty Training Manager.

Our Specialty Training Lead will review the CV and give a preliminary view on the applicant’s eligibility for PMST. The Lead’s preliminary view is not a guarantee of enrolment on to the PMST programme. A formal decision will be made based on the completed application form and supporting documentary evidence.

1.3. Making the application

Complete the application forms listed below:

‘Associate (Trainee) Membership and PMST Application Form’
‘Certificate of Professional and Clinical Competencies for Pharmaceutical Medicine’
‘Reliance on clinical research physician experience’ form (if applicable)

We advise applicants to read our guidance for PMST applicants before completing the application forms. Completed application forms and supporting documentary evidence must be returned by email to the Specialty Training Manager.

PMST application forms and guidance

Stage 2: Assessment process

2.1. General arrangements

Please note that PMST applications can be submitted via our website at any time.

If an applicant submits an incomplete application (this includes submitting an incomplete application form or not including supporting documentary evidence), then their application will be delayed in its review.

2.2. Application review outcomes

Approved without recommendations
Approved with recommendations
Approval postponed

2.3. Review of an application panel decision

An applicant is entitled to request the Specialty Training Lead to review its decision to postpone its approval to enrol the applicant on to the PMST programme. The request must be in writing and can include supporting documentary evidence. The written request must be sent to the Lead within ten working days from the date the decision was sent to the applicant. The applicant must state the specific reason or reasons why the Lead should review its decision.

PMST enrolment FAQs

No. You can work in pharmaceutical medicine without first completing the PMST programme. However, we strongly advise you to complete at least four years of clinical training/experience before you join the specialty in case you want to undertake PMST in the future.

You must have achieved clinical and professional competencies in managing patients, which may include clinical trial participants, over a period of four years.

You must be able to provide evidence of having managed patients in a range of acute and long-term illnesses; of close involvement on a regular basis with the management of such patients through multi-disciplinary team meetings; of managing clinical research study participants; of prescribing, administering and monitoring the effects of medicines.

We recommend you achieve your clinical competencies before you enter pharmaceutical medicine.

Doctors who completed approved UK clinical training should include the following type of evidence of their professional and clinical competencies for eligibility to enrol on to PMST:

UK Foundation Programme year 1 (F1) and year 2 (F2) ARCP outcome forms
UK core or specialty training ARCP outcome forms. Unsatisfactory outcomes (i.e. 2 and 3) and Outcome 4 (released from programme) must be included in the submission
Foundation/core/specialty training workplace-based assessments, case-and/or project-based reflective practice
360-degree multi-source feedback

Applicants must also include their completed ‘Certificate of Professional and Clinical Competencies for Pharmaceutical Medicine’.

Doctors who completed approved overseas clinical training should include the following type of evidence of their professional and clinical competencies for eligibility to enrol on to PMST:

internship completion certificate(s), specialist or GP certificate(s)
regulatory authority or royal college (e.g. Royal Australasian College of Physicians) letter confirming completion of approved overseas training
reference from employing hospital(s) commenting favourably upon your competence as a clinician

Applicants must also include their completed ‘Certificate of Professional and Clinical Competencies for Pharmaceutical Medicine’.

Doctors who partially completed approved UK clinical training, approved overseas clinical training or both, and gained the remainder of their clinical experience in non-training clinical posts before leaving clinical practice to work in pharmaceutical medicine,should include the following type of evidence of their professional and clinical competencies for eligibility to enrol on to PMST:

UK Foundation Programme F1 and F2 ARCP outcome forms-UK core or specialty training ARCP outcome forms. Unsatisfactory outcomes (i.e. 2 and 3) and Outcome 4 (released from programme) must be included in submission-
Foundation/core/specialty training workplace-based assessments,case-and/or project-based reflective practice
360-degree multi-source feedback
Internship completion certificate(s), specialist or GP certificate(s)
Regulatory authority or royal college (e.g. Royal Australasian College of Physicians) letter confirming completion of approved overseas training
Reference from employing hospital(s) commenting favourably upon your competence as a clinician

Applicants must also include their completed ‘Certificate of Professional and Clinical Competencies for Pharmaceutical Medicine’.

The Specialty Training Manager will check you have completed your application in full and included documentary evidence to support the clinical posts you are relying on for eligibility.

If the Specialty Training Manager is satisfied that your application is complete, they will send it to the Director of Specialty Training to evaluate and decide whether to provisionally approve the application.

If the Director provisionally approves your application, the Specialty Training Manager will notify you via email.

You will:

– become an Associate (Trainee) member of FPM if you are not already an FPM member

– be issued your National Training Number (NTN) in pharmaceutical medicine

– be given your programme start and end date

– be given the date of your first Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)

– be sent invoices for payment of FPM’s annual PMST fee and Associate (Trainee) membership subscription (if applicable), and

– have your connection moved from your current designated body to the Pharmaceutical Medicine Deanery for revalidation purposes

The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) will contact you to pay its upfront enrolment fee. You will be given access to a trainee e-portfolio after you have paid the fee.