Local Graduates
Registration Guide
You've graduated from a recognised local faculty — congratulations! Here is everything you need to know about obtaining your SLMC registration and completing your internship year.
Step 1
Apply Provisional Registration
1 Year
Compulsory Internship
Step 3
Full Registration After Internship
Annual
Renew Registration Every Year
Provisional Registration
What it is, who qualifies, and how to apply immediately after graduation.
Learn moreInternship Year
Rotations, approved hospitals, supervision, and certification requirements.
Learn moreFull Registration
How to apply for full SLMC registration after your internship is signed off.
Learn moreAnnual Renewal
Keeping your registration current — deadlines, fees, and online renewal.
Learn moreProvisional Registration
Provisional registration must be obtained from SLMC immediately after you graduate. It permits you to work as a house officer (intern doctor) under the direct supervision of a fully-registered consultant. You cannot see, diagnose, or treat patients independently on provisional registration.
How to Apply
Collect the application form
Download the provisional registration form from the SLMC website or collect in person from the SLMC offices.
Gather your documents
See the documents checklist on the right. Originals and certified copies are both required.
Pay the prescribed fee
Pay at the SLMC cashier or via the approved online payment method. Keep your receipt.
Submit your application
Hand in all documents to the Registration Division. Applications are processed and the certificate issued within the standard processing time.
Collect your certificate
Your provisional registration certificate is issued after verification. Do not begin internship before receiving this certificate.
Apply immediately: Apply for provisional registration within 30 days of your graduation date. Delays may affect when you can begin your internship post.
Documents Required
- Completed SLMC provisional registration application form
- Original degree certificate or official letter from the university confirming you have completed all requirements
- Full official academic transcript
- National Identity Card (original + certified copy)
- Two recent passport-sized colour photographs (white background)
- Declaration of good health and fitness to practise
- Declaration of good character (may require an affidavit)
- Payment receipt for the prescribed registration fee
Note: Certified copies must be attested by a Justice of the Peace, notary public, or equivalent. SLMC may request originals for sight at any time.
Key Reminders
- Provisional registration is valid only for the duration of your internship year
- You must work in an SLMC-approved internship post — private hospitals require prior SLMC approval
- Any criminal conviction or disciplinary action must be disclosed at the time of application
- Provisional registration is non-transferable and cannot be used for locum or private practice
The Internship Year
Every provisionally-registered doctor must complete one calendar year of supervised clinical work — the compulsory internship — in an SLMC-approved hospital before they are eligible for full registration. This is a supervised, structured year designed to consolidate your clinical training.
Required Rotations
Medicine — 3 months
In-patient medical ward under a consultant physician. General internal medicine, clinical rounds, and emergency admissions.
Surgery — 3 months
Surgical ward under a consultant surgeon. Pre-operative care, theatre assisting, and post-operative ward management.
Obstetrics & Gynaecology — 3 months
Labour ward and gynaecological wards. Deliveries, antenatal care, and gynaecological ward duties under a consultant O&G specialist.
Paediatrics — 3 months
Paediatric ward under a consultant paediatrician. Well-baby clinics, paediatric emergencies, and in-patient care.
Certification: At the end of each rotation your supervising consultant completes an SLMC performance report. All four certified reports must be submitted to SLMC when you apply for full registration. Missing or unsigned reports will delay your full registration.
Major Approved Training Hospitals
- National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo
- Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya
- Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya (Galle)
- Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
- Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura
- Teaching Hospital, Kandy
- Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo
- Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo
- De Soysa Hospital for Women, Colombo
- Base Hospital, Kurunegala
- Base Hospital, Badulla
Additional approved hospitals notified by SLMC gazette. Contact SLMC for the current complete list.
Internship Rules to Know
- You must work under direct consultant supervision at all times — no independent practice
- Internship posts cannot be swapped between hospitals without written SLMC approval
- Extended sick leave may require the internship period to be extended accordingly
- Misconduct during internship can result in cancellation of provisional registration
- Salary and service conditions are set by the Ministry of Health, not SLMC
- Both public sector and certain approved private hospitals are accepted for internship
Full SLMC Registration
After your internship year is complete and certified by your supervisors, you apply to SLMC for full registration. Full registration entitles you to practise medicine independently anywhere in Sri Lanka.
Full Registration Application
Complete all four internship rotations
Ensure all four consultant performance reports are signed and dated.
Obtain hospital director's certification
The medical superintendent or hospital director must certify that you have satisfactorily completed the required period.
Submit full registration application
Submit all internship reports, the hospital certification, your provisional registration certificate, and the prescribed fee to SLMC.
SLMC review and issuance
SLMC reviews your submissions. On approval, your full registration certificate and registration number are issued.
Documents for Full Registration
- Completed SLMC full registration application form
- All four signed consultant internship performance reports
- Hospital director's / medical superintendent's certification of completion
- Original provisional registration certificate
- Updated identity document (NIC or passport)
- Two recent passport-sized photographs
- Payment receipt for the full registration fee
Annual Registration Renewal
SLMC registration must be renewed every year. Practising with an expired registration is a criminal offence under the Medical Ordinance No. 26 of 1927. Renewal is straightforward — SLMC provides an online renewal portal available through e-Services.
Deadline: 31 December
Renew before the 31st of December each year. Late renewals attract a penalty fee and may require additional processing.
Online Renewal via e-Services
Use the SLMC e-Services portal to renew your registration, update your contact details, and download your renewal certificate.
Verification by Employers
Employers, hospitals, and health authorities may check your registration status online via the SLMC Medical Register at any time.
Consequences of Lapsed Registration
- Practising with an expired registration is a criminal offence
- Employers are legally required to verify registration before engaging a doctor
- A late penalty fee is imposed for renewals submitted after 31 December
- Extended lapse may require a formal re-registration process
- Insurance coverage may be voided if registration is not current
Sri Lanka Medical Council
Ready to Begin Your Registration?
Download your application form and submit your provisional registration to start your internship year.