MTI 2025 update and FAQs

To ensure the future viability of the MTI scheme the RCOG has introduced an MTI application fee to be paid by all those who submit an application to the MTI scheme whether or not they go on to be shortlisted. This is to cover some of the administration costs associated in processing the MTI applications, running the MTI application assessments and interviews, which are very rigorous and work intensive processes.

The fees the RCOG are introducing do not cover all of the direct and indirect costs of administering and operating the MTI scheme.

The MTI Scheme does not generate a profit and the focus of the scheme remains philanthropic, focused on improving the care of women and girls across the globe.

This contribution towards covering the costs will ensure the MTI scheme is able to deliver on its primary purpose of contributing to the improvement of the quality of healthcare in developing countries.

The application fee will depend on your country of residence at the time you submit your application to the RCOG MTI scheme. To progress your application, ensure your membership record has been updated with your current home address which you can do on your RCOG account .

Please note the application fees are subject to VAT rate of 20%

For more information, please view the RCOG country bandings. 

The RCOG receives in excess of 100 applicant doctors applications each MTI round. We score the highest scoring applicants who move forward to the interview selection process.

At interview candidates will need to meet the minimum scoring thresholds to pass the interview and receive an overall panel recommendation to go through to the final MTI waitlist. 

30 - 35 candidates are waitlisted in each MTI application round.

Trusts who have sufficient training capacity and wish to take an MTI trainee will apply to the RCOG to host an MTI trainee and pay a fee to RCOG. All placement applications go through a rigorous assessment process by the MTI committee to ensure the Trust meets with the RCOG minimum MTI standards of training and education as part of the quality assurance of MTI training. 

The number of posts received from Trusts is dependent on a number of variable factors including Trust budgets, training capacity following national recruitment and local workforce staffing levels. 

RCOG is unable to predict post numbers and cannot guarantee those waitlisted following interview will be matched for a post. Applicants should only proceed with an MTI application on this understanding. RCOG carries out the MTI selection process in good faith aiming to place as many applicant doctors for MTI training in the UK each round as is possible.

The average number of MTI doctors placed per year is currently 27.

In light of the feedback received from past /present MTI Trainees and host Trusts through the College’s MTI annual survey, changes have been made to the eligibility criteria and applications process for the RCOG MTI Scheme which came into effect from the 2023 cycle onwards.

These changes have been made as part of the Colleges quality assurance of the MTI scheme and have gone through a robust approval process in line with College governance. The College is committed to meeting the needs of both IMG’s in MTI training and host Trusts in the UK, to making the scheme accessible and increasing participation from eligible IMG from across the globe, and as part of efforts to further reduce attrition rates within MTI training.

• Number of years experience in O&G post PMQ has been reduced from 10 years down to 8 years. This brings MTI training on par with UK ST3 recruitment which also has an 8 year limit.

• MTI application fee: Introduction of an application fee for all candidates that apply to the RCOG MTI Scheme.
• MTI matching fee: Introduction of a matching fee for those successfully shortlisted and matched for a training post in the UK
• MTI Logbook: MTI applicants will be required to complete a log book (Word document 76kb) and submit this as part of their application. The log book will objectively evidence your procedures and clinical activities and will need to be signed off by your current HoD. Introduction of the log book will help to ensure consistent standards in quality of applications and ensure only those doctors are shortlisted for MTI who have the skills and experience to progress to ST3 in the 3-6 month window expected in MTI training. 
  MTI log book (Word document 76kb)
• Outlining employment history: Applicants for MTI need to outline their entire employment history from the date of passing their primary medical qualification/degree (PMQ) through to the date they submit their application for MTI and will need to sign and date this declaration. Applicants need to list this in chronological order with no gaps in time and provide an explanation for any gaps in their employment history e.g. maternity/paternity leave, career break, military service, annual leave etc. They will have to specify what medical specialty they were working in for every post and provide official proof of this e.g. a letter from HR at the organization clearly stating the title of post, dates of employment and medical specialty/specialties worked in, for any non O&G specialty jobs. The proof will have to be sent directly to the RCOG by the organization. Any periods stated as working in a non O&G role for which such official proof is not provided by the applications deadline will result in an automatic rejection of an application. The onus is on the applicant to ensure the official proof is provided for any non-O&G posts by the applications deadline and the RCOG MTI Office will not be able to retrospectively clarify or follow up once the applications deadline has passed.

The following changes came into effect for the 2023 MTI round:

• The RCOG encourages IMG’s to apply for MTI only once they have passed the Part 1 and 2 exam. This is based on feedback from current MTI trainees who report they struggled to step up to ST3, acclimatise to life in the UK and sit parts 2 and 3 in the 24 months of MTI training. However, please note passing the MRCOG Part 2 is still not a requirement for applying for the scheme.
• Those shortlisted for MTI after the assessments process will undergo a panel interview which will involve IRC Chairs, LG Chairs, MTI Regional Champions and other UK clinicians. This brings MTI training interviews on par with UK ST3 interviews and is an additional measure being introduced in helping to ensure candidates selected are at the experience level required to step up to Registrar level in the 3-6 month window and have a good understanding and realistic expectations of training in the UK.

• The introduction of a Training Agreement for MTI: As part of the efforts to reduce attrition rates in MTI a Training Agreement for MTI doctors has been created and MTI Trainees will be asked for read, review and sign the agreement before taking up an MTI training post through the College’s scheme. This agreement will assist with managing expectations, it makes clear what is expected by the RCOG as sponsor by the IMG doctor as well as the host Trust in terms of training and education. It sets out clearly the pathways for what a trainee in difficulty or having issues needs to do. Trainees will be asked to review and sign the contract once they have their visa in place and before commencing in post.
• Annual Review of Competencies (ARC) for MTI: The RCOG MTI Champions in collaboration with the Head of School / TPD for the Region will lead and conduct an ‘Annual Review of Competencies’ (ARC), with assessment criteria set against the requirements of the MTI Training Matrix (PDF). The outcomes will be: Competencies achieved OR not achieved. Those MTIs achieving satisfactory progress at the 2-year period will be awarded a certificate of completion of the MTI programme. There will be informal assessment of progress at 6 months to ensure trainees have stepped up to ST3, and then formal ARC at 12 and 18 months.