working as a doctor in the UK- GMC requirements

working as a doctor in the UK- GMC requirements

All medical doctors who intend to practice in the UK must have registration with a licence to legally practise medicine in the UK.

The licence to practice medicine in the UK is issued by the  General Medical Council (GMC) and it is a compulsory practice requirement for all cadres of medical doctors

Working as a doctor in the UK- GMC requirements

All medical doctors who intend to practice medicine in the UK are required to be registered with the GMC.

Medical doctors who have never been registered with the GMC will have to apply for registration with a licence to practise. 

The GMC requirements for registration in the UK will depend on the following:

1. your nationality
2. the country in which you gained your primary medical qualification
3. the type of work you want to do
4. whether or not you have completed a period of post-graduate training or house manship.

Working as a doctor in the UK will require you to follow the steps below for successful GMC registration

Step one: First, you should check if you have an acceptable medical qualification to apply for GMC registration. If you are in any doubt you should check your qualifications status with the GMC.

If your medical education was in the United Kingdom or within the European Union countries, you do not need to check, but if you had your medical education outside the UK or European countries verifying your medical degree will be necessary before you proceed. 

International medical graduates (IMGs) will be required to demonstrate that their medical knowledge and skills are in tandem with the standard required to work as a doctor in the UK

Also, all IMGs who intend to practice medicine in the UK will need to demonstrate they are competent in the use of the English language before they are registered.

Step 2: English language proficiency

Working as a doctor in the UK requires sound knowledge of the English language. This may be demonstrated through the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or the Occupational English Test (OET)

International English Language Test System

Foreign doctors in the UK will need to provide evidence that they have met the GMC's requirements in the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test which has four areas:

1. speaking
2. listening
3. reading
4. writing

 GMC requires a minimum score of 7.5 or more.

For more information visit the IELTS website

There are IELTS  designated centres in different countries. In Nigeria, the test is conducted by the British council with designated centres across the country. 

Note: IELTS certificate is usually valid for 2 years, so you’ll need to pass the PLAB 1 exams within this period.

Occupational English Test (OET)

The  OET provides an alternative to the IELTS and was introduced on the 8th of February 2018.

The OET is an international English language test designed particularly for healthcare professionals. It assesses the English language communication skills of healthcare professionals who wish to register and practise in an English-speaking setting. It was specially created for healthcare professions, and in the UK is an option for doctors, nurses and midwives. 

To get information on how to work in the UK as a Nigerian nurse click here

For the OET, candidates will need to achieve a Level B in each of the following areas

1. listening
2. reading
3. writing
4. speaking 

The OET test is designed for healthcare professionals with an emphasis on real-life situations which the medical staff might encounter.

For more information please visit the OET website

Step 3: Working as a doctor in the UK needs a demonstration of a certain degree of medical knowledge and skill. 

Demonstrating acceptable evidence of your medical knowledge and skill requires achieving the required grade in the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board examination. 

Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB)

The GMC uses the PLAB test to ensure that International Medical Graduates have the basic medical competence and communication skills to practise in the UK.

International Medical Graduates wishing to take the PLAB test must have already successfully completed the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Occupational English Test (OET).

 PLAB one is in multiple-choice question (MCQ) format and can be taken in Nigeria and other countries whereas PLAB two is in OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) format and must be taken in the UK.

For more information about the PLAB test, including dates, test centres and costs, visit the GMC website.

Step 4: After passing your exams the next step towards actualizing your dream of working as a doctor in the UK is to complete your registration with the GMC.

The registration process is started online via the GMC website. You will be required to pay the registration fees and subsequently book an appointment at GMC for a check of your documents. 

GMC registration process requires that  IMGs are registered with their home medical licencing authority and will also need a letter of good standing which will usually be transmitted from your home medical council to the GMC directly.

The International Medical Graduate will also need to independently verify his or her credentials at this stage and this is also done via the EPIC website.

Step 5:  Apply for doctor jobs in the UK 

There are different ways to secure doctor jobs in the UK. You could either apply for resident medical officer posts, locum posts, Trust grade posts or you can apply for a training post. 

Your application for doctor jobs in the UK will depend on the following factors ;

1. your immigration status 
2. the state of your finances 
3. the availability of jobs
4. your postgraduate medical qualification
5. carrier progression preferences.

Jobs For Doctors In UK Without PLAB

They are alternative legitimate ways to get jobs for doctors in the UK without PLAB.

The General medical council, GMC, UK announced new regulations in 2021 that opened up new pathways for International Medical Graduates to practice in the United Kingdom. 

The General Medical Council, UK has announced to offer registration with a licence to practice in the UK to International medical graduates who have passed any of the following examinations;

1. USMLE (United State Medical Licence Exam), 
2. AMC (Australian Medical Council) exam 
3. MCCQ (Medical council of Canadian qualification) exam. 

Also, other non-PLAB routes to secure jobs for doctors in the UK include

1.  Medical training initiatives (MTI)
2.  Transfer and exchange programmes between some countries and the United Kingdom
3.  MRCS exam (Membership Exams of the Royal College) 

To apply for jobs for doctors in the UK without PLAB, you will need the following:

1. Primary medical qualification i.e. your medical degree certificate
2. Evidence of your English language proficiency. [IELTS or OET].
3. Evidence of a UK approved internship/clinical work for a minimum 2 years or the UK approved foundation year program
4. Four years eligibility to be registered with GMC
5. Twelve months of training/rotation in medicine, surgery,  paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology.