The Specialist Register was established in 1998 to provide for specialist registration of registered medical practitioners or dentists qualified in various specialties. According to the Medical Registration Ordinance and the Dentists Registration Ordinance, a registered medical practitioner or dentist who wishes to have their name included in the Specialist Register of The Medical Council of Hong Kong or The Dental Council of Hong Kong must be:

  • either a Fellow of the Academy, and certified by the Academy that they have completed the postgraduate medical training and have satisfied the continuing medical education requirements for the relevant specialty; or 
  • certified by the Academy to have postgraduate training and qualification comparable, or equivalent in the case of an application under the Dentists Registration Ordinance, to that required of a Fellow of the Academy in the relevant specialty.

The Academy Council will vet the applications for specialist registration submitted by the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Dental Council of Hong Kong, and make listing recommendations under Specialist Register as appropriate. 

Only registered medical practitioners or dentists on the Specialist Register are recognised as specialists, and can use the title “specialist in a specialty”. A specialist can claim to be a specialist only in the specialty under which they are included in the Specialist Register, not other specialties. 

The name of any Fellows who resigns or whose membership is terminated or otherwise forfeited will be deleted from the register of the Academy and subsequently removed from the Specialist Register. 

Certification for Specialist Registration (CSR)/ Certification for Specialist Qualification (CSQ)

For registered medical practitioners who have received specialist training outside Hong Kong and wish to have their names included in the Specialist Register of the Medical Council of Hong Kong, they may apply to the Academy for certification. Their training and qualifications will be assessed to ensure they are comparable or equivalent to those required of Fellows of the Academy in the relevant specialty. These applicants, being registered medical practitioners, may apply for Certification for Specialist Registration (CSR) from the Academy. In other words, only registered medical practitioners in Hong Kong may apply for CSR.

After the Medical Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 became effective on 29 October 2021, certain non-locally trained doctors wishing to practise in Hong Kong may apply for special registration as a stepping stone to ultimately obtain full registration in Hong Kong if they meet certain requirements under Medical Registration Ordinance (MRO). For applicants for special registration who are not Hong Kong permanent residents and are not registered medical practitioners, they are not eligible to apply for CSR (because they are not yet registered medical practitioners). Nevertheless, in response to the introduction of this new pathway to full registration, the Academy has also introduced the Certification for Specialist Qualification (CSQ) to cater for the need of these applicants.

Note: The Academy’s certification will not take into consideration matters of professional conduct (including whether the applicant has been found guilty of (i) an offence punishable by imprisonment or (ii) misconduct in a professional respect by MCHK or other disciplinary bodies outside Hong Kong).

View and download more information about Certification for Specialist Registration (CSR)/ Certification for Specialist Qualification (CSQ) from the below:

College’s CSR/CSQ guidance notes

For further enquiries about the eligibility for application, please contact the Academy Secretariat via [email protected]

Remark: A non-locally trained dentist who is already on the General Register of Dental Council of Hong Kong (DCHK) and wishes to have his/her name included in the Specialist Register of DCHK may also apply for CSR where applicable. Relevant dentists please contact the Academy Secretariat via [email protected] for enquiry.

Appeals to the Academy

Appeals Committee of the Academy will consider appeals against a recommendation of the Education Committee on Certification for Specialist Registration (CSR) / Certification for Specialist Qualification (CSQ) and / or a result in an examination conducted by an Academy College the passing of which is required for admission to Fellowship of the Academy. View and download the Procedural Guidelines on Appeals to the Academy.