IMG Careers Guide

Doctor Job Titles Explained

A practical glossary of common UK doctor grades and job titles for IMGs.

Updated: 1 September 2026

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Training terms
Non-training terms
Career levels

Key Terms - Training

Training posts

Jobs within a formal UK postgraduate training programme. These include the Foundation Programme and recognised Core and Specialty Training programmes.

UK Foundation Programme (UKFP)

A 2-year training programme consisting of Foundation Year 1 (FY1) and Foundation Year 2 (FY2). It is normally completed after medical school and before entering specialty or GP training. (NB: Doctors who hold, or expect to be eligible for full GMC registration are not eligible for entry to the 2-year Foundation Programme)

F2 Stand-alone Programme (F2SA)

A 1-year recognised Foundation Year 2 training programme for doctors who have completed an internship or equivalent experience, are eligible for full GMC registration, but have not completed the full UK Foundation Programme. (NB: Places are very limited, so this is not a common route into the NHS for most post-PLAB IMGs)

Core Training (CT)

The first stage of specialty training in certain specialties. Doctors usually enter at CT1 and progress through numbered years such as CT2 and CT3, depending on the programme. Examples include Core Surgical Training and Core Psychiatry Training.

Internal Medicine Training (IMT)

The first stage of training for doctors pursuing many physician specialties. Doctors progress through IMT1, IMT2 and IMT3 before entering higher specialty training.

Specialty Training (ST)

Formal training in a particular medical specialty. Some specialties start directly at ST1, while others are entered at a higher ST level after completing the required earlier training. Doctors progress through levels such as ST1, ST2, ST3 and beyond.

GP Specialty Training (GPST)

Formal postgraduate training to become a General Practitioner. Doctors progress through GPST1, GPST2 and GPST3 and may also be referred to as GP registrars while in training.

Specialty Registrar (StR)

A doctor in a recognised specialty training programme. The term is generally used for doctors progressing through specialty training towards completion of their training.

Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)

The certificate awarded after successfully completing an approved UK specialty or GP training programme. It makes the doctor eligible for entry onto the Specialist Register or GP Register.

Key Terms - Non-Training

Non-training posts

NHS doctor jobs outside a formal training programme. These include locally employed doctor roles and temporary locum work.

Locally Employed Doctor (LED)

A doctor employed directly by an NHS Trust or other NHS provider on a local contract, rather than in a formal training post. LED jobs exist at different levels and under many different job titles, including Trust Grade Doctor, Clinical Fellow, Trust Doctor and SHO / FY2-equivalent posts.

Clinical Fellow

A common title for an LED working outside a formal training programme. Compared with more general LED titles such as Trust Grade Doctor or Trust Doctor, Clinical Fellow posts often include a stronger focus on professional development, such as teaching, research or gaining experience in a particular specialty. Roles may be advertised as Junior Clinical Fellow, Senior Clinical Fellow, Research Fellow or Teaching Fellow. The exact role varies between hospitals.

Junior Clinical Fellow (JCF)

A common junior-level Clinical Fellow post and a frequent first NHS role for IMGs. These jobs are often advertised at FY2/SHO or early Core/Specialty Training-equivalent level and usually combine service work with opportunities to gain experience and professional development within a specialty. The exact level and structure vary between hospitals.

Trust Grade Doctor

A common title for an LED working outside a formal training programme. The title usually indicates that the post is appointed at a stated grade or equivalent level, such as FY2-equivalent or CT/ST-equivalent. The exact use of the title varies between NHS Trusts.

Trust Doctor

A broader local title for a doctor employed directly by an NHS Trust outside a formal training programme. Unlike "Trust Grade Doctor", the title itself may not clearly specify the level of the post, so the grade and responsibilities should be checked in the individual job advert. In practice, these titles are used differently by different NHS Trusts and may overlap.

SHO / FY2-equivalent post

A junior-level doctor post broadly comparable to Foundation Year 2 level. "SHO" is an older term but is still commonly used in NHS job adverts and everyday hospital language.

SAS doctor

A broad term for experienced doctors working in substantive career roles outside formal specialty training. Current SAS grades include Specialty Doctor and Specialist Doctor roles.

Specialty Doctor

An experienced doctor working in a substantive non-training role within a specialty. This is generally a more senior career-grade role than the junior LED posts most newly registered IMGs initially apply for.

Specialist Doctor

A senior SAS grade for highly experienced doctors working outside formal specialty training. It provides progression beyond the Specialty Doctor grade without requiring the doctor to be a Consultant.

Locum

Temporary doctor work used to cover rota gaps or short-term staffing needs. Locum work can range from individual shifts to longer temporary placements and may be arranged directly through a hospital staff bank or through an external locum agency.

Hospital staff bank

A pool of doctors who can book temporary shifts directly with an NHS Trust, without an external locum agency.

External locum agency

A private recruitment company that connects doctors with temporary shifts or placements at NHS organisations.

Key Terms - Career Levels

Resident doctor

The current term used in place of "junior doctor" for doctors in postgraduate training. It is also commonly used more broadly for locally employed doctors working at equivalent levels.

Junior doctor

The older term for doctors now generally referred to as resident doctors. It is still commonly encountered in NHS job adverts and everyday hospital language.

Registrar

A commonly used term for a doctor working at a more senior hospital level, usually at higher specialty training level or equivalent. A registrar may be in formal specialty training or may be a non-training doctor working at an equivalent level.

Consultant

A senior hospital doctor who has completed specialist training, or otherwise obtained specialist registration, and works independently within their specialty.

General Practitioner (GP)

A doctor qualified to work independently in general practice after completing GP training or another recognised route to GP registration.