Recruitment

We offer GP programmes in all parts of Wales across 11 specialty training schemes.

For each scheme in Wales, there are designated GP Programme Directors (GP PDs) who support, organise, and guide training.

As a trainee, you will be offered a wide range of hospital and general practice training posts in Wales. These comply with General Medical Council (GMC) standards for training.

Training in Wales

General practice offers a career with variety, flexibility and challenge. You work in teams to provide holistic and continuing care for patients and their families across a range of settings. These include large urban cities, small towns, rural locations, and remote communities.

GP Training vacancies and Combined training

The main recruitment round for GP training, known as Round 1, is for an August start date and is advertised in November of each year. Vacancies for all schemes in Wales are advertised during this round. For the Round 2 recruitment round, for a February start and is advertised in July of each year, there are usually only a limited number of posts available, as we can only advertise those posts that were not filled during Round 1. 

As we are unable to advertise vacancies for some of our training schemes during round 2, there are likely to be GP training approved hospital posts that will be returned to the Health Boards for recruitment as LAT (Locum Appointment for Training) positions for a six-month period. If you were to apply for one of these posts and later apply successfully for a GP training position, you might be eligible for a shortened training scheme. While acceptance of a shortened training scheme cannot be guaranteed, it may still be worth considering applying for these vacant posts if you decide to wait until future recruitment rounds to apply for GP training.  You would need to contact the Health Board directly regarding the availability of these posts.

Further information about shortened schemes also known as combined training, can be found on our website here: Combined training for GP trainees – HEIW. 

Financial incentives

Further information about these incentives can be found in our FAQs.

Further training opportunities

Academic training opportunities for GP trainees (GPSAT)

You can undertake an academic training programme attached to the academic departments of Cardiff, Swansea and Bangor Universities.

These opportunities are advertised annually to GP ST2 trainees.

Global Health Experience (GHE)

You can apply for an Out of Programme placement to undertake a Global Health Experience (GHE) for up to 8 weeks. It would be on a voluntary basis and trainees would need to self-fund. The partner organisations we are working with are in Japan, Cantabria (Spain) and Lesotho (South Africa). These opportunities are advertised annually to GP ST1 trainees that will be going into GP ST2 within 12 months from the advert date.

Wales Clinical Academic Track (WCAT)

The aim of this fellowship is to equip you as a clinical academic trainee, with the knowledge and skills to compete as independent investigators in the modern area of translational research.

Each WCAT fellowship provides training from entry through to CCT. It includes a salary funded three-year PhD training fellowship, and a period of clinical training with protected academic time (0.2 WTE) in the clinical training years.

Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowships (WCLTF)

This is a one-year opportunity for doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, allied health professionals and healthcare scientists.

The WCLTF programme provides training and hands-on experience in clinical leadership and management. Its aim is to recruit and develop the most aspiring clinical leaders of the future.

Apply now

All General Practice Specialty Training (GPST) programmes in the UK are recruited to through a national process managed by the GP National Recruitment Office (GPNRO).

What are you waiting for? Find out more about recruitment windows and how to apply and start your dream career.