Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) is issued to a doctor by their local medical body on demand and on payment of the prescribed fee, provided they have at least six months of financial good standing with the said body and have not been indicted on any professional misconduct.
When is a CGS Needed?
A CGS is needed while applying for GMC registration.
For How Long is a CGS Valid?
Regardless of how long is your CGS valid according to your local medical council, the GMC only accepts CGS issued within the last 3 months.
When to Apply for CGS?
For everyone who is planning on appearing in PLAB 2, it is best to keep your documents ready for your CGS.
It’s ideal to apply for your CGS even before you take your PLAB 2 exam, as your local medical body might take a few weeks before they issue your CGS.
Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) takes 4-8 weeks to issue your CGS. If you go to the PMDC, Islamabad in-person, they might hand you your CGS on the same day. But it is not possible for everyone to go the PMDC in-person.
You can check My Timeline for PLAB 2 Planning to see how I planned my schedule.
The Form
If you are applying from Pakistan, you can find PMDC’s form V at their official website. You can also access the form, directly from here.
It is a two-page form. The first page consists of the main form. The second page only holds instructions and a sample of the affidavit to be attached.
Documents Needed
These are the documents that you need to send to the PMDC to get them to issue your CGS:
- An affidavit.
- A copy of MBBS degree (attested).
- A copy of MBBS detailed mark sheet (attested).
- A copy of PMDC registration certificate (attested).
- Two passport size photographs.
- A copy of CNIC.
- Bank draft.
The Affidavit
A sample of the affidavit is provided on the second page of PMDC’s CGS form. This should be printed out on a stamp paper from the local district council or the local court.
The form has 7 blank spaces, which should be filled like this:
- Your name.
- Father’s name.
- PMDC registration number.
- Permanent address.
- Current address.
- “registration with the General Medical Council, UK”.
- “General Medical Council, UK”.
Attestation
The documents should be attested by the following:
1. Principal or Professor/Associate Professor of any medical/dental school in Pakistan or abroad.
2 (A). Medical Superintendent (MS) of the district headquarters hospital (level).
Or
2 (B). District Health Officer.
Or
2 (C). Authorized officer of Pakistan Embassy abroad.
I got my documents attested by a professor, who was also the MS of my university hospital. So, to keep things simple, you can do the same as well.
Fee
| Fee for Certificate of Good Standing | Rs. 4,000 |
| Urgent Fee | Rs. 1,000 |
| Courier Fee (within Pakistan) | Rs. 150 |
| Courier Fee (outside Pakistan) | Rs. 1,500* |
Courier Fee (outside Pakistan) is subject to change in rates.
Bank Draft
For doctors who are in Pakistan, a bank draft should be made in the name of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
Submitting Fee from Abroad
Foreign Nationals and Pakistani doctors applying from foreign countries can pay their fee online to the PMDC via the account details mentioned in the CGS form.
Submitting the Form
The fully completed Good Standing Form along with all the attached documents should be mailed to the PMDC at G-IO/4 Mauve Area, Islamabad.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does it take the PMDC to issue Certificate of Good Standing?
If you go to the PMDC in-person or if you send someone to the PMDC and you pay the urgent fee, you can get the Certificate of Good Standing on the same day.
However, if you send your documents by mail and pay the standard fee, it can take from 4 to 8 weeks. In my case, it took 43 days.
2. For how long is the Certificate of Good Standing valid?
According to the PMDC, it is valid for 6 months. However, the GMC does not accept CGS issued more than 3 months ago. Therefore, for the GMC, it is only valid for 3 months.
3. When will I need a Certificate of Good Standing?
You will need it immediately after your PLAB 2 result. Unless you want to delay your GMC registration for personal reasons, it’s best to apply for GMC registration the day after your PLAB 2 result. So you will need you CGS exactly a day after your PLAB 2 result.
4. Can I apply for GMC registration without my Certificate of Good Standing?
Unfortunately, you can not apply for GMC registration without your CGS. Therefore, unless you want to delay your GMC registration for personal reasons, it is best to have applied for your CGS before you take PLAB 2 exam.
5. When should I apply for my Certificate of Good Standing?
Since the PMDC can take 4 to 8 weeks in issuing the CGS. It’s best to apply for it 8 weeks before your PLAB 2 result; which would mean applying for your CGS roughly a month before you take your PLAB 2 exam.
6. I would be in the UK a month before my PLAB 2 exam, so how would I apply for my Certificate of Good Standing from the UK?
You can complete all of your documentation for your CGS from your home country and leave your documents at home. Your family can mail them to the PMDC or your local medical body in your country a month before your PLAB 2 exam.
7. While filling the form, what should I write in box number 4 “For Provision to”?
“General Medical Council, UK. 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW, United Kingdom.”
8. While filling the form, what should I write in box number 5 “To be mailed at”?
Here you should write your home address or wherever you want to receive the CGS. Do not mention the GMC’s address here; you should receive the certificate yourself. You only need to send a scanned copy of the certificate to the GMC. And you will show the certificate to the GMC in-person during your ID check appointment.
9. I have a Certificate of Good Standing for another country’s medical council; can I use that for my GMC registration?
Unfortunately, no, you can not. One certificate of good standing is issued for one authority only.
10. From which authorities do I require to submit a Certificate of Good Standing?
A CGS is required from the medical regulatory authority in any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years.