Training in the UK

Medical Training Initiative and Other routes for training in the U.K

Routes of entry to training in the UK

1. Pass in the PLAB test

2. Sponsorship with a GMC approved sponsor

3. An acceptable postgraduate qualification (only a few qualifications from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh). (Non-UK Qualification)

4. Eligibility for entry to the Specialist or GP Registers CESR or CEGPR

Route 1:

You are eligible to apply for this route if you:

  • are a national of a country outside the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who has graduated from a medical school outside the UK
  • a UK national who graduated from a medical school outside the UK, EEA or Switzerland do not have enforceable community rights (external GMC links)

and you: 

  • have passed both parts of the PLAB test within the past two years. Your PLAB 2 pass should have been achieved no more than two years before the date on which we approve your application.  If your PLAB 2 pass was achieved more than two years ago you will be required to provide further evidence of your recent medical experience.
  • have completed an internship.

Verification is carried out by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) through their online system – known as the Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC) service. ECFMG will verify the qualification is genuine by checking this directly with your awarding institution.

Route 2: Medical Training Initiative

You are eligible if you:

  • are a national of the UK or a country outside the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who graduated from a medical school outside the UK
  • do not have enforceable community rights

and:

  • you hold an acceptable primary medical qualification  
  • have been selected for postgraduate training by a UK medical royal college or faculty, or by one of a small number of postgraduate institutions or you are being sponsored by someone on our list of approved sponsors
  • you have carried out medical practice for three out of the last five years, including the most recent 12 months.

Route 3:

International medical graduates with an acceptable postgraduate qualification. It explains how to apply for full registration. 

You are eligible for this route if you: 

  • are a national of the UK or a country outside the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
  • do not have enforceable community rights 
  • graduated from a medical school outside the UK

and you:

  • hold an acceptable primary medical qualification
  • hold an acceptable UK or international postgraduate qualification. (Non-UK Qualification)

Route 4:

Applicable to doctors who have worked in the UK, generally in a non-training post.

Important information for doctors intending to work as a GP in the UK:-

To start work as a GP in the UK, you'll need to complete a number of processes. Some of these are handled by organisations other than the GMC.

You must read our General Practice in the UK page for information about applying to join a Performers List and Induction and Returner schemes.

These are extra requirements for you to work as a GP in the UK. 

MEDICAL TRAINING INITIATIVE

The Medical Training Initiative (MTI) is designed to enable a small number of International Medical and Dental Graduates to enter the UK to experience training and development in the NHS for up to two years.

Under the scheme, training capacity not required for planned UK/EEA training numbers is made available for overseas doctors and dentists who meet the required eligibility criteria, including registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) – for doctors and temporary registration with the General DentalCouncil (GDC) for dentists in the MTI scheme. This is nearly always obtained via a professional sponsorship scheme with the relevant medical Royal College. The placements filled by doctors in the MTI scheme are approved by the local Deanery/Local Education & Training Board (LETB) and may also need to be approved by the relevant Royal College.

Please contact admin@aacres.co.uk for more details and information tailored to your unique circumstance.

Suitable doctors for MTI scheme:-

All doctors who wish to take up a MTI placement must meet the following criteria:

— Have GMC registration and a licence to practice

— Require a visa to work in the UK

— Have a valid passport.

Doctors wishing to take up a MTI placement usually obtain GMC registration and license to practice by applying for professional sponsorship by one of the GMC approved sponsors. GMC approved sponsors eligibility criteria may vary slightly and details can be obtained direct from each of the sponsors, but all will require the following:

— Acceptable primary medical qualification

— Registration and licensing history

— Certificates of good standing

— Completion of an appropriate internship prior to application

— IELTS certificate.

For the GMC to accept your IELTS certificate it must show:

— A mean academic IELTS English language score of 7.5 and showing no score lower than 7.0

— The original stamp and test report form (TRF) number (this is used to validate all certificates of sponsorship)

Further Information:

The NHS

The structure and history of the NHS is described in more detail on the NHS Choices website.

The Kings Fund provides an alternative guide to NHS England.

Home Office

The Gov.UK website has information on the Tier 5 visa scheme.

Living and working in the UK

The Academy MTI Relocation Guide and the BMA Life and work in the UK provide useful information about being in the UK.

London Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education provides a framework for supporting safe transition for Internationally Educated Health Professionals working in the NHS in London.

The NHS Medical Careers website gives details of the specialties and various roles of doctors in the NHS.

Please contact admin@aacres.co.uk for more details and information tailored to your unique circumstance.