FAQs logoWorking in the UK - frequently asked questions


September 2007 Doctors interested in working in the UK should also refer to the BMA’s Guide for doctors new to the UK which provides more detailed information.

How can I register to practise medicine in the UK?
    Before you can do any clinical work, or write prescriptions, you must be on the UK medical register. The register is held by the General Medical Council (GMC), the regulatory and disciplinary body of the medical profession. The arrangements for medical registration differ depending on where you gained your primary medical qualification. Doctors who are citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, and who gained their primary medical qualification in the EEA or Switzerland, are entitled to full registration with the GMC.

    Doctors who do not satisfy both criteria will need to provide the GMC with objective evidence that they have the knowledge and skills required to work as a doctor in the UK. Initially, they need to demonstrate their English language competence either by taking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or by providing alternative evidence (for example, demonstrating that the language of instruction of your medical degree was English). Further information on language proficiency is available from the GMC website.

    Objective evidence is provided by satisfying one of the following:
    • passing the GMC administered two part Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test, which tests basic medical competence and ability to communicate in English for suitability to work at F2 level
    • being selected for postgraduate training by a UK medical Royal College or Faculty, or by a number of postgraduate institutions
    • doctors who have completed basic specialist training
    Detailed information is available from the GMC website.

    Further information about registration is available from the registration section of the Guide for doctors new to the UK.
      What are the immigration requirements for working in the UK?
      Nationals of the EEA do not require permission to work in the UK. Doctors who do not have EEA citizenship will need to satisfy the immigration rules in order to work in the UK. As a general rule you will need a work permit to work in the UK, which must be obtained by your employer, who will usually be required to show that no suitably qualified resident worker was available to do the job. The process is simplified if the post is considered a shortage occupation. A work permit is specific to a particular post, and if you move to another job before the work permit expires, you will need a new permit. After five years spent on a work permit a doctor can apply for indefinite leave to remain (permanent residency) in the UK. Further information is available from the Working in the UK website.

      After the employer has successfully applied for a work permit, the doctor must submit an application for limited leave to remain. This is the permission an individual needs to stay in the UK and is granted in line with their Immigration Employment Document (IED) – in this case, a work permit. For further information about work permit applications, go to the Working in the UK website.

      Non-EEA doctors who are graduates of UK medical schools should apply for the Postgraduate Doctor and Dentist category. Permission to work can be granted for up to three years to enable the doctor to complete the foundation programme and gain GMC registration. For more information go to the Border and Immigration Agency website.

      Further information about immigration is available from the Immigration section of the Guide for doctors new to the UK.

      How does the medical training system work in the UK?
      Postgraduate training is carried out in salaried posts in the National Health Service (NHS). When doctors have completed their undergraduate medical degree they will spend two years on a foundation programme. Foundation Year 1 (F1), the pre-registration year, is similar to the ‘internship’ year undertaken by medical graduates in other countries, and, upon successful completion, a doctor will be granted full registration. Foundation Year 2 builds on competencies learnt during F1 as well as generic competencies including time management, IT skills and team working, which are applicable to all areas of medicine. Further information about the foundation programme is available from the Foundation Programme website.

      Upon completion of the foundation programme doctors undertake specialty training programmes, at the end of which they will obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) which entitles them to be admitted to the GMC’s specialist or GP register and to apply for consultant/general practice posts. Further information about specialty training programmes is available from the Modernising Medical Careers website.

      Can I undertake the Foundation Programme?
      As the number of foundation programme places is very limited, doctors from medical schools outside the UK are strongly advised to complete their pre-registration year in their country of graduation. Furthermore, applications to the foundation programme are limited, in the first instance, to doctors who have not already completed a pre-registration year. When all eligible applicants have been placed, doctors who are already entitled to full registration may apply. Further information about eligibility if available from the Foundation Programme website.

      Can I undertake specialty training?
      Places on the specialty training programmes are achieved through open competition and anyone is able to apply. However, at present, competition is extremely fierce, with many UK doctors unable to secure training places. Under the immigration rules, doctors requiring a work permit will only be eligible for employment when there are no suitably qualified resident workers available to do the job. International doctors are strongly advised to think carefully before coming to the UK to undertake specialty training.

      Can I work as a General Practitioner?
      If you are a citizen of the EEA and have either completed recognised specific training in general practice in the EEA, or have a certificate of acquired rights from an EEA Member State (i.e. that you were entitled to work as a GP in another EEA country on 31 December 1994), you will need to present you certificate to the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) for automatic recognition. If your general practice training was undertaken outside the EEA you will need to apply to the PMETB for an assessment of your qualifications and experience, in order to qualify for a Certificate confirming Eligibility for General Practice Registration (CEGPR). For more information go to the PMETB website.

      Can I work as a consultant?
      All consultants working in the UK must be on the GMC’s specialist register. If you are a citizen of the EEA, completed your basic medical qualification in the EEA and hold a recognised EEA higher specialist qualification, you are automatically eligible for admission to the specialist register. Other doctors will need to have their specialist training assessed by the PMETB which will assess your training and experience to see if it is equivalent to the UK's own specialist training programme. If so, you will be granted a Certificate confirming Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR).

      How do I find a job?
      Jobs are advertised in medical journals such as the BMJ Careers section or The Lancet as well as NHS Jobs. Information about applying to the foundation programme can be found on the Foundation Programme website. Any foundation posts that are unfilled will be advertised in the BMA. Information about specialty training programmes can be found on the Modernising Medical Careers website.

      How easy is it to find work as a doctor in the UK?
      There are some opportunities for consultants – fully trained specialists – GPs, and for jobs in non-training grades. However, there is extremely high competition for training posts in the UK at present and it is anticipated that there will be severe medical unemployment within the training grades for the next few years. Furthermore, on account of the immigration rules, doctors who require work permits may only be considered for posts if no suitable resident workers have applied. This has meant that it is even more difficult for international doctors to secure employment in training posts.

      What does the BMA do?
      The BMA is the leading trade union and professional association for doctors in the UK. We provide a wide range of advice and services, and have a network of advisers throughout the UK to help doctors with problems on a day to day basis. Some of the benefits of BMA membership include advice on employment contracts, industrial relations matters, access to the BMA Library and subscriptions to the BMJ and BMA News. For more information about joining the BMA go to the Join the BMA webpage.

      © British Medical Association 2008

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      Guide for doctors new to the UK

      • Cover of the Guide for doctors new to the UKIncludes background on the NHS and training and practical information on how to register and prepare for work.

        Read more here