The Bottom Line
- The Royal College describes <strong>PER</strong> as an alternative route to certification that evaluates IMG credentials for specialty certification eligibility.
- PER is evidence-heavy and scope-specific (primary specialty focus). It’s designed to reduce barriers while still protecting standards.
- Your fastest progress comes from matching your real training/practice profile to the correct specialty route and compiling a high-quality dossier.
What PER is (the clean definition)
PER is an alternative Royal College certification route that evaluates an internationally trained physician’s credentials and practice to determine eligibility for the certification exam pathway under PER rules.
Read the policy, not the rumours
The Royal College publishes PER information and policy documents that define objectives, scope, and process. Use these as the ground truth and treat any secondary commentary as non-authoritative.
Operational reality: PER is a dossier exercise
Think like a regulator: they need proof. Build a dossier that is tidy, complete, consistent, and mapped to the PER requirements (training equivalence, scope, practice evidence).
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Step 1 — Confirm your route fits PER’s intended scope
PER is not for everyone. Confirm it matches your specialty and that you are applying as intended (primary specialty focus where relevant).
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Step 2 — Build a ‘training equivalence’ evidence pack
Compile programme structure, rotations, competencies, assessments, supervision levels, and certification outcomes. Ensure the narrative is provable with documents.
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Step 3 — Build a ‘recent practice’ evidence pack
Document scope of practice, case mix, on-call responsibilities, outcomes/QI, and professional standing. PER evaluation is easier when your practice profile is coherent and well evidenced.
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Step 4 — Model timeline, fees, and downstream exam readiness
PER is not just paperwork; it leads to exam readiness requirements. Plan study alongside dossier building so you don’t reach eligibility and then spend a year getting ready.
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Step 5 — Keep a parallel provincial licensure plan
Royal College certification is one layer. Provinces regulate licensure for practice. Keep provincial requirements in view while you pursue certification routes.
Where iatroX fits
If you’re on a PER-style pathway, you still need sustained exam readiness. iatroX can be your daily training layer while the credential evaluation runs, and it remains valuable later if you practise in the UK too (guideline-led workflow, rapid access to structured knowledge).
Practice
Test your knowledge
Apply this concept immediately with a high-yield question block from the iatroX Q-Bank.
SourceRoyal College: Practice Eligibility Route (PER) overview (official)
Open Link SourceRoyal College PDF: PER policy document (official)
Open Link SourceMCC: IMG pathways overview (official context for where PER fits)
Open Link