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UK Register of Toxicologists

UK Register of Toxicologists

The UKRT Panel meet three times a year to review applications, the next meeting is in February 2025. The deadline for the February meeting has now passed.

The next meeting open for applications will be in May/ June 2025, with a deadline around mid-March. We recommend you submit your application at least three weeks before the deadline to ensure your references are received by the deadline.

The UK Register of Toxicologists (UKRT), sponsored by the Royal Society of Biology and the British Toxicology Society, was established in 1993 and is now a Special Interest Group of the Royal Society of Biology.

The attainment of registration is seen as a significant milestone in a career in toxicology and will become increasingly desirable for career progression. Members of the UK Register of Toxicologists gain automatic membership of the EUROTOX Register of Toxicologists and are entitled to use ERT as a post nominal.

ERT status is awarded for a period of 5 years, after which an individual must re-register to maintain their status. Re-registration involves thorough review of an individual's continuing professional development (CPD) and practice in toxicology.

Contents of this page

  1. Applying for the UK Register of Toxicologists
  2. Requirements for candidates living and working outside Europe
  3. Key dates and timelines
  4. CPD advice
  5. Guidance documents
  6. Fees
  7. Application/Re-registration Deferral Policy
  8. The UKRT, Brexit and ERT Status
  9. Procedure for raising queries regarding the UK Register of Toxicologists
  10. UKRT bursary for BTS congress 2025
  11. Members of the UKRT Panel

Applying for the UK Register of Toxicologists

Applicants must review the ERT Guidelines for Registration before applying for UKRT. When assessing applications, the UKRT Panel require evidence of competence in the essential topic areas of toxicology (listed in the ERT Guidelines for Registration, section B) through attendance of appropriate courses, recognised qualifications, or by demonstration of specific practical experience and on-the-job training.

Important update to UKRT applications (from December 2024)

To aid applicants in more clearly demonstrating their competence in these topic areas, the UKRT is introducing a new, additional template form that will need to be completed as part of all new applications to join the UK Register submitted from 13th December (the application deadline for the UKRT Panel meeting in February 2025).

The new template form can be downloaded via this link. The paperwork serves as a cover note for applications, to note how each submitted piece of evidence addresses the Eurotox core topics.

Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications and reference letters for the February Panel meeting is 13th December 2024. If you or your referees are unable to meet this deadline, and your application is received after this date it will require this additional form to be completed.

The aim of this change is to provide further guidance and clarity on the requirements for UKRT registration and help applicants to demonstrate they meet the requirements to join the Register. If you have any questions, please email toxreg@rsb.org.uk.

Online applications are processed through the Royal Society of Biology portal, mySociety. Please note: you do not need to become a member of the Royal Society of Biology to apply for the UKRT.

To apply to join the UKRT, you must have:

  1. An honours degree in a relevant science (taken over a minimum 3-year period from a UK university, or its equivalent). Relevant certificates must be provided.
  2. At least 5 subsequent years postgraduate professional experience in toxicology. Please provide an up to date CV.
  3. Evidence of current engagement in the practice of toxicology, in the form of written work (such as publications or unpublished reports) demonstrating your suitability for joining the Register.
  4. Details of the past 12 months’ relevant CPD, including a range of activities and reflective notes. Further guidance on CPD can be found below.
  5. Two senior ERT registered toxicologists to act as referees. Your referees should know you in a professional capacity and be able to confirm the quality of your toxicology practice. The two referees should not be employed at the same organisation as each other. If you do not know two referees sufficiently well from separate organisations, please provide a 3rd referee (who does not have to be ERT) to provide a reference regarding your professional competence and recommendation for inclusion in the UKRT. Current UKRT Panel members cannot supply references.

Prospective UKRT applicants should self-assess against the above criteria. Applications are assessed by the UKRT Panel, who meet three times a year.

Requirements for candidates who live and/or gained qualifications outside Europe

As of October 2023, Eurotox has introduced additional requirements for applicants who live and/or gained qualifications outside Europe. These requirements must be applied by the national registers, including UKRT. Full details can be found on the Eurotox website, but the key changes are listed below. These requirements apply to all applicants who live in and/or gained qualifications in any country outside the UN Eastern European and Western European States.

  • All documentation submitted should be in English.
  • Your CV submitted should be in the Europass format. Europass is free to access, simply visit the Europass website, create an account and follow the steps to build a CV.
  • Documentation of academic education should be authenticated using an apostille issued by an authority designated by the state of origin (HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention). To find your local competent authority, please visit the HCCH site, click onto your country’s authority, and then follow the link to the local website. It is through these sites that you will be able to gain authentication. You only need to authenticate your highest level qualification; e.g. if you have a BSc and an MSc, you only need to authenticate your MSc certificate.
  • If you live and work in a country that is not part of the HCCH 1961 Apostille Convention, you should contact your local United Kingdom consulate office who will advise you on authenticating your qualifications.
  • Once you have authenticated your academic qualification, please submit evidence of the authentication (i.e. official letter or certificate) with your application.
  • References supplied in support of an application that verify the candidate’s work experience and practical training must explicitly specify the time period each position was held, and must accurately and fully document the applicant’s duties, responsibilities and full-time professional experience in toxicology. References should be submitted in company letterhead and in English.

Key dates and timelines

The UKRT Panel meet three times a year to review applications, the next meeting is in February 2025. The deadline for the February meeting has now passed.

The next meeting open for applications will be in May/ June 2025, with a deadline around mid-March. We recommend you submit your application at least three weeks before the deadline to ensure your references are received by the deadline.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their application is submitted, paid and referees send their letters of support to the register administrator in time to meet the application deadline. We recommend that applicants submit their application wo-three weeks prior to the deadline, to give referees time to respond to the reference request.

Once your application is submitted, you will find out the outcome from the Panel approximately 6-8 weeks after the Panel meeting during which your application is assessed.

CPD Advice

Successful application/ re-registration is dependent on an individual providing a range of CPD activities in their record along with adequate reflection. This means that statements must be provided against each CPD activity recorded, explaining how the individual will benefit from the activity and, where applicable, how others may also benefit as a result.

Re-registration applications are frequently deferred due to inadequate reflective statements so it is vital that these are provided in sufficient detail. Download guidance notes on recording CPD and reflective notes. Further CPD guidance can also be found on our CPD webpage. 

Individuals enrolled in the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) CPD scheme may submit their RCPath record in place of an RSB CPD record to be reviewed by the UKRT Panel. Full records, including activity descriptions and reflections, should be provided along with all other relevant application or re-registration information.

Guidance documents

Fees

  1. Register applications - £140
  2. Re-registration fee (every five years) - £110
  3. Register Retention Fee (annually) - £60
  4. Fees are payable in advance via mySociety and are non-refundable, including if your application is rejected.

Application and Re-registration Deferral Policy

Should your initial application or re-registration (including your CPD record) meet the required standard, the Panel will approve your UKRT registration status for a 5 year cycle.

If the Panel concludes that your application or re-registration falls short of the required standard, it will be either rejected or deferred. If your application is deferred, the UKRT Panel will provide you with feedback on the remedial action required and information that should be submitted for consideration at the next Panel meeting. Additional information as requested by the Panel should be submitted via email to toxreg@rsb.org.uk

There is no additional fee for deferred applications.

Applications may be deferred by the Panel up to two times. If your application is insufficient to meet the acceptance criteria at the third Panel meeting, it will be rejected. If your application is deferred, you should submit the information requested by the Panel by the submission deadline prior to the subsequent Panel meeting. All deferred applications for registration or re-registration that do not result in a successful application within 12 months or three Panel meetings of the initial Panel assessment, whichever is soonest, will result in rejection. In the event that your application for registration or re-registration is rejected, you will not be able to re-apply for a period of at least 3 years.

The UKRT, Brexit and ERT Status

The UKRT have sought guidance from EUROTOX regarding the effect of Brexit on members and their ERT status. Reassurance has been provided that EUROTOX is not a political organisation and that the recognition of ERT as a professional qualification is completely independent of the European Union and will thus not be affected by any Brexit-related outcome.

Procedure for raising queries regarding the UK Register of Toxicologists

All queries regarding the UK Register of Toxicologists should be directed to its Secretariat by email (toxreg@rsb.org.uk). In accordance with their Data Protection Policies, the RSB will not divulge any personal information without the expressed consent of the individual involved and takes all appropriate steps to protect registrants’ data held by the UK Register of Toxicologists.

UKRT bursary for BTS congress 2025

The 2025 British Toxicology Society’s Annual Congress will take place on 7th - 9th May. The UKRT Panel would like to award a bursary of up to £500 to support a UKRT member in attending this key UK toxicology event. The bursary may be used towards the costs of registration and/or travel, and is open to all current members of the Register intending to submit an abstract for a poster or oral communication at the congress.

Further information, including the qualifying criteria and application form, can be found below.

We would encourage all those who are eligible to read the qualifying criteria and consider applying for this bursary. Please note the deadline for applications is 17th January 2025.

Members of the UKRT Panel

  • Mark Hosford (Chair)
  • Britta Gadeberg (Vice-Chair)
  • Dr Kristina Ulrich
  • Warren Harvey CBiol MRSB
  • Dr Nicola Powles-Glover
  • Dr Sarah Bull
  • Dr Clive Meredith
  • Dr Chris Dalton CBiol FRSB
  • Helen-Marie Dunmore MRSB