Passed FCPS-I? What Happens Next: Training Induction, Workshops and the IMM

A pass in FCPS-I is published on the candidate's e-Portal account and, after the celebrations, usually produces a second question: what now? The Fellowship is a structured training programme of roughly four to five years depending on the specialty, with examinations, workshops and supervised work along the way. This article lays out the sequence as CPSP describes it, so that new passers can plan the next year rather than the next week.

1. Secure a training slot

FCPS training takes place in CPSP-accredited departments under approved supervisors. Induction into training is through the mechanisms of the province or institution: in Punjab, the Central Induction Policy routes candidates through tests such as UHS's PGET and KEMU's JCAT, while other provinces and federal institutions run their own inductions. The FCPS-I pass is the entry ticket; the induction test decides where you train. Candidates in Punjab should note that the next UHS PGET is on Sunday 25 October 2026 for the January 2027 intake, and that a specialty-specific JCAT pass stays valid for three years.

2. Register with the college and start the e-Logbook

Once inducted, the trainee's registration with CPSP, the training start date and the supervisor are recorded, and the e-Logbook begins. Every subsequent step, from rotations to the dissertation, is tracked there, and it is the record examiners look at later.

3. Complete the mandatory workshops

CPSP lists capacity-building workshops whose attendance is "mandatory and a pre-requisite for appearing in the examination". The list on the college's FCPS page includes Basic Surgical Skills, Research Methodology, Biostatistics and Dissertation Writing, Communication Skills, ACLS, BLS, ATLS, ALSO and Introduction to Computer and Internet. Which ones apply depends on the specialty, and they fill up; book them early in training rather than in the months before FCPS-II.

4. The Intermediate Module (IMM)

For the specialties that have one, the IMM is the mid-training examination that must be cleared before the final Fellowship exam. The 2027 IMM theory dates are 16 February and 17 August 2027. Because the IMM draws on the same clinical foundations as FCPS-I, the preparation you have just finished is not wasted; keep your notes.

5. Research and the dissertation

The Research Methodology and Biostatistics workshops feed directly into the synopsis and dissertation that CPSP requires. Trainees who choose a topic in their first year, rather than their last, finish on time.

6. FCPS-II

The final examination has theory and clinical components. The 2027 theory dates are 16 February and 17 August for the major subjects and 13 April and 28 September for the other subjects. Eligibility depends on completed training time, logbook, workshops and dissertation, so the earlier steps determine when you can sit.

Second Fellowship

After a first FCPS in Medicine or Surgery, a trainee may pursue a second Fellowship in allied subspecialties; CPSP's page names examples such as Cardiology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Nephrology and Urology. The college currently offers Fellowship training in 98 specialties and Membership in 19.

What this means for a new passer

1. Decide the specialty with the induction calendar in front of you, not after it closes.
2. Book the mandatory workshops in your first six months.
3. Put the IMM and FCPS-II dates for your likely year into your diary now, and count back from them.

FAME's FCPS section follows trainees past Part 1 with IMM and specialty resources, and the platform's class schedule carries the rapid-review classes used by trainees between rotations.

Questions new passers ask

Can I sit the IMM or FCPS-II without the workshops? No. CPSP states that participation in the capacity-building workshops is mandatory and a prerequisite for appearing in the examination, so an unbooked workshop can delay an exam by a sitting.

Which 2027 dates should I write down first? The IMM theory dates (16 February and 17 August 2027) if your specialty has an IMM, and the FCPS-II theory dates for your subject (16 February and 17 August for major subjects, 13 April and 28 September for others). Count training time, logbook and dissertation backwards from the sitting you are aiming at.

Sources and references

• CPSP: FCPS programme, specialties and mandatory workshops
• CPSP: 2027 theory examination schedule (IMM, FCPS-II)
• UHS: Postgraduate Entrance Test (PGET) 2026 notice
• KEMU: Postgraduate admissions (JCAT)