Six long term locum doctors working at NCIC have achieved their Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR).
CESR is an alternative route to becoming a consultant for overseas doctors and they have been supported by the medical directorate development faculty through the pathway over a number of years.
The doctors who have qualified are Sherif Shabana (Consultant Gastroenterologist), Mohamed Osama Aly (Consultant Gastroenterologist), Becky Taylor (Emergency Medicine), Syed Mannan (Consultant Orthopaedics), Sherif Haseem (Consultant Radiologist) and Ishara Ranathunga (Endocrine). 
This means they are now on the specialist register and can be employed as substantive consultants.
The CESR portfolio pathway is not well understood by many and takes an incredible amount of work and years of time.
Krishna Kumar, CESR lead at NCIC, said: “Since its introduction to NCIC three years ago CESR support has had eight candidates from NCIC successful in different specialities.
“This service enables doctors from overseas to get registered on the General Medical Council’s specialist Register and obtain substantive consultant jobs.
“Although this is considered an exhaustive laborious process, all of the candidates from NCIC have been successful in their first attempt.
“This goes to validate the Trust’s personalised approach and support for overseas doctors and for local doctors who wish to follow this pathway.
“Irrespective of the speciality candidates have benefited from the CESR support service provided as part of the Medical Directorate Development Faculty (MDDF) initiated by Professor Sam Dearman.
“Currently candidates have succeeded in the following specialities - Anaesthesia, Emergency Medicine, Gastroenterology, Endocrine, Orthopaedics and Radiology.”
Professor Dearman, Director of Medical Education at NCIC, said: “It is very welcome and incredibly positive news to hear about the successes of our colleagues, especially so many at the same time and all at their first attempt.
“This is an outstanding achievement for each of them as individual doctors first and foremost.
“The undertaking to achieve CESR through the portfolio pathway is not to be underestimated, and seeing a continued outcome of positive results also tells us that NCICs CESR support service as part of the Medical Directorate Development Faculty (MDDF) is working.
“It is not typical that an NHS Trust provides this kind of professionalised developmental support and is something that NCIC has been recognised for. The decision to support and develop doctors from all backgrounds through all pathways is hopefully progressive and part of the solution for our recruitment challenges.”
Bethany Bell and Connie Hetherington, members of the CESR administration team, have also been praised for their hard work providing administrative support to the team.
SHERIF SHABANA
Sherif Shabana joined NCIC in November 2019 and has been working for four and a half years as a locum consultant in Gastroenterology. I have been in the same position since I have joined the trust.
Sherif said: “I graduated from Ain shams Medical school, Cairo, Egypt. This is the second largest tertiary teaching hospital in Cairo. I then went on to have my gastroenterology training in the same hospital, during which I obtained a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. I am also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh since 2022.”
Sherif said the job involves a mix of skills including manual hand skills as in endoscopy as well as clinical and problem solving skills that is required for providing high quality patient care. The field of gastroenterology involves a wide spectrum of diseases, which I find quite interesting as it involves dealing with different types of patients.
Sherif explained a bit more about the CESR pathway: “It is devised by the GMC and Royal Colleges that ensures overseas doctors are trained to a level comparable to the standards of training in the UK. As such, a doctor would need to provide a very exhaustive and robust evidence of his/her practice covering the last 5 years. That evidence would usually take between 18-24 months to collect and organise. This is a very tough journey that requires dedication as well as support from the trust. Once a doctor is granted CESR, they would be eligible to be included on the specialist register of the General Medical Council."
This means they are legally entitled to take up honorary, substantive or fixed term consultant posts in the NHS.
And he had some advice for other doctors to encourage them to follow the CESR route.
“Start engaging in this process as early as possible once you’ve arrived in the UK. One tip I found useful, is to do this with a colleague who would be also interested in going down the CESR route, which would provide encouragement and support.
“Passing the CESR will allow me to apply for a substantive post in gastroenterology, which in turn will give me the opportunity to have a more definitive role in developing and maintaining the gastroenterology service for our local communities. I would like to thank the CESR support team, the managers and my colleagues for their enormous support during this journey.”
DR MOHAMED OSAMA ALY
Dr Aly is a Locum Consultant Gastroenterologist and leads the Alcohol Care Team at North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC). Since joining the team in July 2019, his first role in the UK, he has been dedicated to serving the people of Cumbria.
He said: “I graduated with honours (excellent grade) in 2005 with an MBBS in Medicine and Surgery from Ain Shams University in Egypt. Following my internship in 2007, I pursued Internal Medicine residency training, earning a Master's degree in the field by 2010. I then transitioned to a teaching role, becoming an Assistant Lecturer and later a Lecturer at the same university hospital. During this time, I completed my MD by 2014.
“Throughout my training, I gained extensive knowledge and experience in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. This included clinical rotations in wards and clinics, mastering advanced endoscopic procedures, and acquiring valuable managerial experience as the Medical Director of the Gastroenterology Unit at Ain Shams University Hospitals.
“Driven by a desire to enhance my knowledge and expertise, I joined NCIC with a strong interest in working within the prestigious NHS system. I thoroughly enjoy providing the highest quality gastroenterological care to the Cumbrian community. My time here has further refined my endoscopy skills, equipped me with new managerial capabilities, and exposed me to complex cases requiring a multidisciplinary approach.”
Dr Aly described how and why he followed the CESR route.
He said: “Upon arriving in the UK, one of my primary goals was to secure a Substantive Consultant Post, a key step in my long-term career aspirations. To qualify for this role, I needed to be listed on the GMC Specialist Register.
“While the Higher Specialist Training route was highly structured, I was unfortunately deemed overqualified due to my prior training in Egypt. The alternative pathway, the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR), appeared daunting. Limited information, perceived difficulty, and discouraging anecdotal experiences initially deterred me.
“However, everything changed when I learned about NCIC's sponsored CESR program. After a pivotal meeting with Mr Kumar three years ago, I embarked on a challenging but ultimately rewarding journey. I meticulously documented my work and actively pursued the GMC's requirements.”
And the challenges of Covid-19 did not stop Dr Aly.
He said: “Despite the unforeseen challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, my unwavering commitment remained. NCIC's unwavering support was instrumental in my success. They generously funded essential activities, courses, and even training periods in Newcastle to fulfil the Nutrition and Hepatology requirements. My deepest gratitude goes to Dr Burke (Gastroenterology Consultant and Clinical Director for Service Improvement) who tirelessly ensured all my assessments were signed off and provided invaluable feedback. Mr. Karat, our Clinical Director, also deserves immense appreciation for his constant encouragement.
“I am thrilled to announce that my CESR application has been successful, and I am now listed on the GMC Specialist Register for Gastroenterology. I encourage anyone considering the CESR pathway to persevere. With dedication and focus, success is attainable. Actively participate in CESR group meetings, as the insights and guidance provided will significantly streamline the process.
As I move forward, I eagerly anticipate applying for a Substantive Consultant Post to further serve the Cumbrian community. My commitment is unwavering – to deliver exceptional care, elevate the standards within our department, and expand the services we offer.”