Making a move to UK medical practice could be right for your career but how do you decide? Dr Kimberley Tan from The Savvy IMG explores some of the key things to think about.

Venturing into a medical career in the UK is a daunting prospect for anyone who is settled overseas.

How long will it take? How much will it cost? Will you get a job at the end of it?

These are all important considerations to make before investing your time, money and effort into this endeavour, and having been through the whole IMG journey myself, I hope to shed some light on these topics so you can feel more informed about your own UK journey.

How long it takes to become a doctor in the UK as an IMG

There are two main stages of becoming a UK doctor. The first is getting registered with the General Medical Council or GMC, and the second is securing a job.

When I went through the GMC registration process many many years ago, it took about 8 months. This included taking IELTS and PLAB. Getting my first job didn’t add much additional time since I applied for GMC registration and the UK Foundation Programme simultaneously.

But about in post-pandemic times? Can it still be done in under a year?

Unfortunately, if you’re going through the PLAB route these days, you will face significant delays. Due to the backlog of doctors aiming to sit PLAB, it can take a whole year just to go from IELTs or OET to PLAB 1. This means that the PLAB journey for many IMGs can take up to 18 months or longer.

But do not despair!

This time can be used productively to bolster your CV in order to reduce the amount of time it takes to secure your first job, or to get into UK specialist training if that’s something you aspire to.

If you want to know how you can improve your CV for applications to UK specialist training, check out this article at The Savvy IMG: An IMG’s guide to the UK portfolio for training jobs

How much it costs to be able to work in the UK as an IMG

Since many of us trained in low to middle income countries, the cost of the GMC registration journey can be a serious obstacle. Although the UK journey is not cheap by any means, I have to say, it is much more affordable compared to some of the other English-speaking countries.

The typical spend for many applicants going through the PLAB route to GMC registration is somewhere around £5,000 - £7,000, but the cost can go well beyond that for multiple exam attempts.

So practically speaking, the best way to keep costs down is to prepare well for exams and pass them on a single attempt. This may involve spending a little more on high quality preparation materials up front.

For a more detailed breakdown of the costs, and tips on how you can save money at each stage, check out our dedicated article over at The Savvy IMG: The cost of PLAB & GMC fees + tips on saving money

Job prospects for IMGs in the UK

One of the great things about coming to the UK as an IMG, is that you can find a suitable job at all levels according to your previous experience and qualifications.

• If you just graduated from medical school, you can apply for UK internship.
• If you have completed an internship back home, you can apply for a junior level job in any hospital specialty with titles like FY2, SHO or junior clinical fellow.
• If you have completed training or have 4 years of experience in your specialty, you can apply for a middle grade job such as registrar, senior clinical fellow, or specialty doctor.
• And if you have been working as a consultant for many years, you can apply for locum consultant roles.
• With the huge shortage of doctors in the UK, you’re very likely to find a job that suits you.

For more about the salary prospects for UK doctors in specialist training, check out this Savvy IMG article: How much do doctors in specialty training (residency) earn in the UK?

Equal opportunity when applying to UK specialist training as an IMG

When I was applying to postgraduate specialist training in the UK, I always thought that I would be disadvantaged as an IMG. Many other doctors thought the same, even UK doctors, and I was often gently discouraged from entertaining lofty aspirations of getting into Ophthalmology training in London.

Fortunately, I discovered that where I went to medical school played no role in my application. UK and IMG applicants are currently considered on equal footing once eligibility criteria are met regardless of passport, visas, or country of graduation. Your application will now be considered on its own merit! So if you want to pursue world class specialist training without being disadvantaged as an IMG applicant, then the UK is an excellent choice.

You can read more about the 2019 change in the immigration laws and how it affects IMGs applying to specialist training in this article: 9 ways the new Shortage Occupation List affects IMGs dreaming of UK specialty training

Where to start

The common starting point for all IMGs is to get registered with the GMC.

There are several routes to achieve this, but all routes involve some common steps:

1. An English test (IELTS or OET)

2. An exam (PLAB, MRCP, MRCS or other similar exam)

3. Verification of your medical degree certificate

4. Additional documentation depending on your background and experience

5. Paying the GMC fees

Once you are GMC registered, you can then start applying for jobs through the official NHS job websites. Although it is possible to start applying for jobs before you get GMC registration, getting GMC registration first is generally the safest route.

You can get a detailed breakdown of the full requirements for GMC registration including links to where you can make an online GMC account in this Savvy IMG article: Requirements for registration with the GMC