Clinical references

In this section of the application, you are required to list three clinical referees, giving their name, contact details, specialty, as well as the dates in which you worked with them, and in what capacity you were/are known to them.

In 2012, England & Wales deaneries have put in place varying procedures for how candidates should supply references, the referees they nominate, and the time/posts that references should relate to. We have summarised each deanery's requirements in the deanery/UoA references page of this website - please view this page to see the particular requirements for any deaneries/UoAs to which you are keen to apply.

The deanery/UoA references page essentially lists any diversions from the 'default' references provision process. A number of deaneries are still using this process - please see below for details.

The 'default' references process

As noted above, this is the main process which has been used in the past across different specialties and deaneries/UoAs. Deaneries have made us aware of their varying reference requirements this year, and so we have added these to our deanery/UoA references page where necessary; but a number of deaneries do still use the standard process, which is described below:

Use three most recent supervisors

The first of these should be your current or most recent supervisor who, where possible, is familiar with your clinical development. If you are currently in a research post, it is fine to ask your research supervisor to provide a reference - but the other two referees should be your most recent clinical supervisors.

Please be aware that the main purpose for which deaneries seek references is to build up as accurate and up-to-date a picture of candidates as is possible; thus if you were to cite referees who have not worked with or supervised you recently, this becomes more difficult.

Also, please bear note that references are NOT used in the scoring process, and have NO influence on the offer of posts to candidates. So a 'good' reference from a well-known or influential person will not have any more of a positive influence on your application than a 'good' reference from anyone else. However, if you choose not to list your most recent supervisor as a reference, this may raise some questions.

Obviously, recent referees may be unavailable for very good reasons, such as retirement, ill health, etc. In these cases, you should approach your next most recent supervisor.

You should also check with each of your referees that they are happy to provide a reference for you; in the event that you are offered and accept a post, you will not be able to formally take it up until your references are received, so forewarning referees that references will be sought may help speed up this process.