Medical Qualifications
By custom, those letters denoting medicine follow those of orders, decorations and medals bestowed by the Crown. They are usually placed in the following order
- Doctorates
- Masterships
- Baccalaureates (degrees of Bachelor)
- Postgraduate diplomas
- Qualifying diplomas
It is the custom for letters indicating doctorates, masterships and fellowships to be given in correspondence.
Baccalaureates, memberships and qualifying diplomas may be shown if no higher qualifications are held.
It is sufficient for a maximum of three series of letters to be shown: for example, MD, FRCS, FRCOG.
If required for formal lists, the following is the complete list of letters commonly used in medicine in the UK.
Doctorates
Style: 'Doctor of...'
| DM; MD | Doctor of Medicine |
| DCh; DS | Doctor of Surgery |
| DDS | Doctor of Dental Surgery |
Masterships
Style: 'Master of...'
| MCh; MChir; MS; ChM | Master of Surgery |
| MDS; MChD | Master of Dental Surgery |
| MAO | Master of the Art of Obstetrics |
| MChOrth | Master of Orthopaedic Surgery |
| MClinPsychol | Master of Clinical Psychology |
| MClSc | Master of Clinical Science |
| MCommH | Master of Community Health |
| MMed | Master of Medicine |
| MMedSci; MMS | Master of Medical Science |
Baccalaureates
Style: 'Bachelor of...'
| BM or MB | Bachelor of Medicine |
| BDS; BChD; BDentS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| BAO | Bachelor of the Art of Obstetrics |
| BAc | Bachelor of Acupuncture |
| BASc | Bachelor of Applied Science |
| BMedSci | Bachelor of Medical Science |
| BPharm | Bachelor of Pharmacy |
| MB BChir; MB ChB; MBBCh; MB BS; BM BCh; BM BS; BM |
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery |
Postgraduate Diplomas
Fellowships
Style: 'Fellow of the Royal College of...'
| FDSRCS | Fellow in Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England |
| FRCA | Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists |
| FRCN | Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing |
| FRCOphth | Felow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists |
| FRCP | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians |
| FRCPCH | Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health |
| FRCPEd | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| FRCP(Glas) | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| FRCS | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England |
| FRCSEd | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
| FRCSI | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland |
| FRCS(Glasg) | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| FRCOG | Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
| FRCGP | Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners |
| FRCPI | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| FRCPath | Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists |
| FRCPsych | Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists |
| FRCR | Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists |
| FDS RCS | Fellow in Dental Surgery Royal College of Surgeons |
| FDS RCSEd | Fellow in Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of Edingburgh |
| FDS RCPS(Glas) | Fellow in Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow |
Memberships
Style: 'Member of the Royal College of...'
| MCEM | Member of the College of Emergency Medicine |
| MFDS (RCS Eng) | Member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England |
| MFDS RCPS(Glasg) | Member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| MFICM | Member of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine |
| MFPH | Member of the Faculty of Public Health |
| MFPM | Member of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine |
| MFSRH | Member of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare |
| MJDF(RCS Eng) | Member of the Joint Dental Faculties, Royal College of surgeons of England |
| MRCA | Member of the Royal College of Anaesthetists |
| MRCN | Member of the royal College of Nursing |
| MRCOphth | Member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists |
| MRCP | Member of the Royal College of Physicians |
| MRCPCH | Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health |
| MRCPEd | Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| MRCP(Glas) | Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| MRCP(UK) | Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom |
| MRCOG | Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
| MRCS(Glasg) | Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| MRCSI | Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland |
| MRCGP | Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners |
| MRCPath | Member of the Royal College of Pathologists |
| MRCPI | Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| MRCPsych | Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists |
| MRCR | Member of the Royal Colleg eof Radiologists |
| MRCS | Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England |
| MRCSEd | Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
