Specialist status application evidence guidance

Please read this guidance carefully before starting your application.

Section A: Qualifications

Add each qualification by selecting ‘add new record’, choosing the qualification type and awarding body, and then saving the entry.
Select the self-assessment points relevant to your qualifications.
If your qualification is not on the RCVS Register, indicate this and upload proof of award.
Confirm your current working situation to show you are active and up to date in your specialty.

Section B: Publications and Professional Contributions

This section demonstrates your specialist activity over the last seven years (new applicants) or five years (reapplicants). You must list full citations for all items, quoting details such as:

Author(s)
Year or date
Title
Book or journal name
Volume
Page number(s)
Publisher
Location
Organisation or sponsors

Do not list the same item twice.

You may include:

Refereed journal publications (list up to 5 key papers if you have many)
Book chapters
Non-refereed journal articles
Expert or scrutineer reports (not routine case reports or journal reviews)
Presentations at international, national or local scientific meetings
Lay publications or presentations
Specialist CPD contributions not already listed elsewhere

“In press” publications are not accepted. The committee expects a broad and balanced range of evidence.

Applicants must self-assess points for each subsection; normally at least 15 points are required. A full list of the self-assessment points available is linked to on the application form.

Section C: Memberships, Training and Other Experience

You will be asked to provide:

Membership of relevant professional bodies (excluding MRCVS)
Contributions to postgraduate training and examining within the past five years (for example, supervising interns/residents or acting as an examiner) - give names, dates, awarding body, examination and year
Involvement with RCVS or European College boards
Any other relevant experience within the past five years

CPD Requirement

You must submit your CPD record for the past five calendar years, or give permission for RCVS to access your 1CPD account.

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How to complete your RCVS specialist application

All applicants – European Diplomates, non-European new applicants and non-European reapplicants – apply through My Account. The steps you follow are the same, but the sections you complete and the evidence you upload will differ depending on your route.