The Royal College of Physicians have announced that from August 2011 possession of the full MRCP(UK) will become a mandatory requirement for ST3 entry into any of the medical specialties.
This will increase the pressure on medical trainees to gain PACES as soon as possible. However, in some ways this reverts back to the pre-MMC system where gaining the full MRCP was a requirement before applying for registrar jobs.
Please see the link for more details.
passmedicine blog 