Getting an NHS job as an IMG

In this article, I would discuss the factors that may increase the chance of getting your first NHS job as an international medical graduate. I recently got my first NHS job as a specialty registrar, so I would tell you what exactly I did to get this job. I got this job after completing MRCP (UK), but the same principles are also applicable to those who completed PLAB/ UKMLA.

I would start from the beginning and go in-depth into each of the steps.

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The steps

  • First and foremost, you need to pass either PLAB/ UKMLA or MRCP / equivalent degree. By equivalent degree I mean MRCS, MRCEM, MRCOG, etc.
  • You need to complete the EPIC verification.
  • Next, you need to have GMC registration or you should at least apply for GMC registration.
  • After all this, you need to apply for the job and get selected.
  • Then you have to face the interview and get the job.
  • Then you need to apply for a Healthcare worker visa to enter the UK and start your work. There are certain requirements to fulfill for getting the visa.
  • Start your new job and get set.

The details of all these steps are given below:

Passing the exam

We all know that UKMLA is going to replace PLAB in 2024. I would recommend you finish PLAB as soon as possible if you have already passed part A. But if you are just starting then go for UKMLA. The following video talks about PLAB vs UKMLA. Ideally, it should not take more than 2 years to complete UKMLA. I personally liked the MRCP exam because I was quite sure that I want to progress a career in Medicine. Besides, passing MRCP can also give me leverage in my own country if due for any reason I can’t get a job in the UK. But be mindful that passing MRCP is significantly more difficult in comparison with passion PLAB/ UKMLA. Because MRCP is a post-graduate diploma whereas PLAB/ UKMLA tests for undergraduate level of competency.

Epic verification

After completing PLAB/ UKMLA/ MRCP you need to do EPIC verification from the ECFMG site. You need to verify your primary medical degree (MBBS) through this site. If you have completed MRCP/ MRCS then you need to also do EPIC verification for that degree. For primary medical degree verification, you need to open an account on the ECFMG site and then upload all your credentials, for example, your photo, your passport, and your primary medical degree. They will also ask for the contact details of your medical school. After inputting all and paying the fees then EPIC authority would do email verification of all info with your medical school. This process can take from 1 week to 2 months depending on the efficiency of your medical school admin staff. In my case, it took 2 weeks. A video about the EPIC verification process is given below:

GMC registration

After epic verification, you can open a GMC online account. You need to upload all the details including your EPIC ID there and then pay the fee. The GMC authority may take 1 month to give you the registration. The GMC registration fee at the time of writing this article is GBP 420. The final stage of GMC registration is completing an ID check which can be done digitally nowadays!

Apply for a job

Once you have ticked all the requirements you can start searching for a job. A non-training job is generally recommended as the first NHS job. Because there are additional criteria for applying for a training job that might be difficult to fulfill without NHS job experience. So, in this article, I would talk about non-training jobs only. In my opinion, the Trac jobs site is the best place to start job searching. Here you have to make an account and create your CV in your account.

Creating an ideal CV is perhaps the most important step in getting a job. Because a lot of IMGs from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Middle East countries are trying to get into UK’s health system. It is not unusual to get thousands of CVs for each of the job postings. So, your CV must be unique to get shortlisted for the interview. Below I have given my CV which got me shortlisted for multiple jobs and job offers. I have spent countless hours doing research for creating this CV.

Download my CV

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The interview

The interview will be online using Microsoft Teams. Two interviewers would be present and one of them would be the consultant. The other person may be a medical person or may be from the HR team. Some general tips for the interview:

    1. Dress professionally
    2. Log in 5 minutes before the interview.
    3. Keep your nerves down. Listen to everything, take a second, then respond.
    4. If you don’t understand a word or sentence you can tell ‘pardon me’.
    5. The answers should be to the point.

Some common questions during the interview:

    1. Why do you want to join NHS?
    2. What are the NHS core values?
    3. What are the values of our trust?
    4. What is the difference between an audit and research?
    5. Do you have any publications?

They can also ask a lot of clinical questions. Because the typical duration of an interview is 20 minutes so some complex clinical scenarios can be given to you to test your clinical maturity. NHS consultants always want to see you as a safe doctor. So, in your answer always keep patient first. I would write a separate blog post on the NHS job interview which would include more details.

Getting the visa

After a successful interview, you would receive a conditional offer letter. You cannot apply for a visa with this conditional offer letter. You can only fulfill the conditions. Some of the requirements to be fulfilled are:

    1. Police clearance certificate.
    2. If you want to take your spouse then a marriage certificate would be one of the requirements.
    3. A bank statement and solvency certificate may be required. But if your trust agrees to the maintenance then you would not need a bank statement.
    4. Getting the visa have to submit all the above-mentioned documents to the HR team. After processing all required documents the HR team would give you a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS). In your COS your job role, salary, maintenance, etc. would be written.

Then you need to find a UK visa processing center and apply for the visa. I know there are more details in each of the parts I have described here which I could not cover in one single article. Therefore, feel free to subscribe to our email list to get more information:

Start your new job

If you come to the UK for the first time then the first two months would be challenging for you. Because everything is different here compared to your home country. You have to do the following tasks soon after arrival:

    1. Collection of your Biometric Residence Card
    2. Opening a bank account. Sometimes banks ask for utility bills which is a problem for newcomers. In that case, you can ask for a letter from your HR.
    3. Renting accommodation. Because hospitals generally give temporary accommodations. These are usually rooms in a flat. Very few hospitals offer family accommodation. Currently, the UK is going through a housing crisis so finding a suitable place to stay would definitely be a challenge for you.
    4. Getting a driving license. If you have an international driving license then most likely you would be able to drive in the UK for at least 1 year. But eventually, you may need to take a UK driving license. The test for a UK driving license is not so easy.

Apart from the lifestyle challenges you would also have to adjust to the new job environment as soon as possible. The challenges in the new job environment are:

    1. Computer systems
    2. Completing induction courses.
    3. The subtle difference in equipment.
    4. Sometimes doctors tell brand names of medicines that may be unfamiliar to you.
    5. Engaging in teaching and research.

Pro Tips

    1. Always smile and try to help everyone as much as possible.
    2. Never be late in your job, especially in the first 2 months.
    3. You may feel alienated and abandoned in the first 2 months because you don’t have any friends and you would feel that everybody is watching you. But very soon you would be part of the team and newer doctors would join.
    4. Always be positive and believe that everything would be easier after 2 months.

How difficult is it to get a job in the NHS as an IMG?

I would say getting the first job is going to be somewhat difficult for most of the candidates. Although at the time of writing this article, NHS is severely short-staffed you have to consider that the number of applicants is overwhelming. Thousands of qualified doctors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, and many other countries want to start a career in the NHS. So, you have to compete at a global level and make your curriculum vitae outstanding.

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