General Medical Council refusal to grant provisional registration - reasons, prevention and what to do if it happens

Abstract

Summary: The General Medical Council has refused provisional registration to UK medical graduates 30 times between 2010 and 2016. The reasons given for refusal were lack of insight (29/30, 97%), lack of remediation (29/30, 97%), probity concerns (18/30, 60%), and health (11/30, 37%). In the only case that did not involve both lack of insight and lack of remediation, there were serious concerns about the applicant’s health. This article explains the processes that lead to registration refusal, and offers advice about how to prevent refusal and how to respond to refusal. Thus far, 16 of the 30 have re-applied, and 13 were successful in gaining provisional registration.

Relevance: Medical students need to be aware that even if their medical school has permitted graduation, and even if a student has been found to be fit to practise by a university committee, the GMC may decide that the student has failed to demonstrate fitness to practise. This will lead to a refusal to grant provisional registration, which at the very least will set back an individual’s career by 12 months.

Take Home Messages: Lack of insight and the resulting failure to change behaviour and demonstrate remediation risk loss of a career. It is imperative that students respond to advice and warnings. Students may not realise that it is not just the seriousness of problem behaviours but their response to advice that determines how a medical school will decide what action to take.