Overseas doctors must verify their medical qualifications before making a GMC application. In order to work in the NHS you need full registration with the GMC. This process requires independent verification of your primary medical degrees and any other qualifications or licensures you are using to join the register. Often this will be a Royal College Qualifcation, or another recognised postgraduate qualification, but can also include an accepted licensing exam such as USMLE, MCCQE or AMCCE. The process of verification is is done by the Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and applies if you: Qualified at a medical school outside of the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland; OR are an international medical graduate with a European medical qualification (not including UK qualifications) AND do not already hold provisional registration. Please note, only those with primary medical qualifications awarded outside of the UK and EU, and those who are not EU nationals but hold a primary medical qualification from the EU (but not the UK), need to use an Electric Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC). Which qualifications will I need to verify? When registering with the GMC there will likely be two certificates you will need to verify for your GMC registration. Depending on what route you take to registration, you will need to verify both of the following: Postgraduate route: Medical Degree (PMQ) and Accepted Postgraduate Qualification Relevant European Qualification (REQ) route: Medical Degree (PMQ) Specialist European Qualification route: Medical Degree (PMQ) and Specialist European Qualification MTI or Royal College Sponsorship route: Medical Degree (PMQ) PLAB route: Medical Degree (PMQ) Is my Medical Degree (PMQ) accepted by the GMC? You must have completed an acceptable medical degree to register with the GMC. Check if you’re qualification is accepted via the GMC website here. Your medical degree is commonly known as your primary medical qualification (PMQ) and it will need to be independently verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) via their online portal, EPIC. Please note, if you hold refugee status in the UK and are applying to the GMC for registration with a license to practice medicine in the UK, you may be able to get help with your EPIC fees. Contact the GMC before using EPIC. Setting up an on-line account: Once you have established the correct documents to be verified, set up an on-line account (EPIC Account) via ECFMG EPIC The first step to start using EPIC is to complete a request to establish an account. The request requires you to submit some basic personal information, details about your medical education, and, if applicable, details about your postgraduate medical education. EPIC will then send you an e-mail to confirm receipt of your request to establish an EPIC Account. Once your account request has been processed, they will send you an e-mail containing your EPIC ID and instructions on how to complete the final step in the account establishment process, completion of the EPIC Identification Form (EIF) to confirm your identity.  The GMC's instructions for EPIC verification are here however this we have outlined the steps above, so things shoud be fairly clear already. Before you start: Before your start the verification process, there are a couple of important steps to consider:  Create a GMC online account if you haven't already and check whether the GMC accepts your primary medical qualification and/or postgraduate qualification.  If your medical school is included on the list below then you should contact the GMC before starting the verification process. on the GMC’s list of qualifications that are not acceptable  on the GMC’s list of qualifications that may be acceptable not in the list of medical schools on GMC Online General advice from IMG Connect Start early: At IMG Connect we strongly advise that you complete this part of the process as soon as possible. There are several factors that contribute to the length of the verification process, ncluding the time it takes for the medical school to verify your qualification(s). It does not expire, so there is no reason to delay! Also consider the GMC will close your application after 90 days if you cannot submit it, so by starting EPIC too late you may cause your GMC application to be closed.  Prepare and save yourself some time: As always, at IMG Connect we advise it is best to gather your documents prior to starting any application. If you do, it should only take about 15 minutes to complete.  Before you begin, make sure you have the following available: a full-colour photograph (passport style) a scanned, full-colour copy of the photograph page of your current, unexpired passport information about your medical education, including your medical school identification number (if applicable) and attendance and degree issue dates your medical licensure information (if applicable), including any identification numbers your ECFMG/USMLE Identification Number (if you have one) your ECFMG International Credentials Services (EICS) Identification Number (if you have one) Make sure you select the General Medical Council as you upload each qualification. By doing so, the GMC will automatically receive an update when your qualification has been verified. If you don’t do this, it could cause a delay. How much does EPIC verification cost?  The fees are charged in USD and you’ll need to pay ECFMG directly. Full payment is due at the time you submit your request to establish an EPIC Account. Setting up an account currently costs $125 and as of recently, the fee to verify a credential through EPIC increased to US$90 per credential. For more information on fees and payment, see the fees section of the EPIC website. I've got my PMQ verified, what next? Submit your application for registration to the GMC and provide your EPIC ID to the GMC.  You won’t be able to submit your application to the GMC until you have confirmation that your PMQ has been sent for verification. ECFMG will send you confirmation via e-mail. You can also check the status by logging in to your EPIC Account. If you prefer, you can wait until after the qualification has been verified to submit your application, as it can take some time for the verification to be completed. Once verification of a qualification has been received from the issuing institution and ECFMG has confirmed that the qualification is authentic, ECFMG will confirm this with the GMC. ECFMG will also notify you by e-mail that your qualification has been verified.

Here we take a quick look at the CESR route for overseas experienced specialty doctors & consultants hoping to find a senior doctor job in the NHS and qualify for the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR). Many IMGs have recently asked if they would be eligible for the CESR route to Specialist registration. International Medical Graduates (IMGs) from any country in the world can apply for CESR, provided certain eligibility criteria are met. To help answer this question we have put together a short article to explain further, including the following topics:  What is CESR? How does CESR work? Am I eligible? I am eligible, what next? Applications for CESR requires a lot of preparation and can seem quite daunting. This is the first in a series of articles aimed at helping doctors planning to engage in this process. What is CESR?  The Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) is the process by which doctors who have not trained in an approved programme can demonstrate their knowledge, skills and experience are equivalent to that of the relevant CCT curriculum to join the GP or specialist registers.  How does CESR work?  The CESR is awarded by the GMC and applications are made directly to them. The Royal College then assesses the evidence an applicant has submitted to the GMC.  The assessment is to assure the GMC that the applicant has gained the equivalent level of competence as a trainee (i.e. ST6) making application for CCT via the ARCP process (Annual Review of Competency Progression). This means that the CESR applicant must demonstrate competence against all Intended Learning Outcomes in the curriculum of the specialty of their choice via the written evidence submitted. Are you eligible?  There are different ways to apply for registration with a licence to practise in the UK. It depends on your nationality, qualification and experience.  To meet the minimum eligibility requirements to apply you must have either: a specialist qualification in the specialty you’re applying in  OR at least six months continuous specialist training in the specialty you’re applying in. You’ll need to provide evidence of how you’re eligible as part of your application. This could be a copy of your qualification or evidence of your employment.  In your application you must show that you meet the requirements of the CCT curriculum in your specialty.  The CESR certificate is awarded only on the written evidence provided by the applicant. It is not granted on the basis of references or experience.  In most circumstances we can say that evidence must:  come from higher training equivalent  be less than 5years old demonstrate higher level experience  map to the curriculum be represented clearly be current be primary evidence You can check the approved Royal College curricula for all 65 specialities and sub specialties here.  I am eligible, what happens next?  As an IMG, it is highly likely that you haven’t complete a UK based approved training programme but could be eligible for Specialist Registration via the CESR route. Take a look at our in-depth CESR overview for more information on how to apply and what to expect.   IMG Jobs  Search and find live NHS doctor jobs in the UK IMG Resources Read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!   Get in Touch Don’t hesitate to get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss doctor job options in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.             

In order to apply for GMC Registration and/or take the PLAB tests, IMGs must hold a primary medical qualification acceptable to the GMC for the purpose of registration with a licence to practise. If your primary medical qualification is from outside of the UK or EEA, the GMC will need to check that it is acceptable.  How can I check my overseas qualification is recognised by the GMC?  Your Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ) must be awarded by an institution listed in the World Directory of Medical School.  There are some qualifications that the GMC already do not accept. These are listed on their website. You should check whether your qualification meets the relevant criteria before you start an application.  As part of the GMC application, overseas doctors from outside of the EEA will need to send a copy of their primary medical qualification to the GMC.  If your primary medical qualification meets the GMC criteria, you will need to have it independently verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) before registration with a license to practice can be complete. How do I verify my Primary Medical Qualification?  Verification is completed online and is a simple process. You will set up an online EPIC account (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials), confirm your identity and upload your qualification for verification. This is then assessed by ECFMG who will communicate directly with your awarding body to confirm authenticity.  What next? Once assessed the ECFMG will confirm the outcome with the GMC. You will receive and EPIC ID, which will be required when completing the GMC application.  At IMG we recommend that you check your primary medical qualification and start the verification process as early as possible, so that you will have your verified qualification before applying.  Once you have checked that you have a suitable overseas qualification, and your overseas primary medical qualification has been independently verified, you can complete the GMC registration online.  IMG Jobs  Search and find live NHS doctor jobs in the UK IMG Resources Read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!   Get in Touch Don’t hesitate to get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss doctor job options in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.             

Here we take a close look at the MRCS exam for overseas surgeons looking to register with the GMC and find a job in the NHS.  International Medical Graduates (IMGs) from any country in the world can sit the MRCS examinations, provided certain eligibility criteria are met. These are summarised below along with a broad look at the following topics: The UK Royal Colleges of Surgery What is MRCS?  What is the structure and content? Am I eligible? MRCS Part A - Written Examination MRCS Part B - OSCE How much will the exams cost me? As an overseas doctor where can I take the exams? How can I prepare and what resources are available? Passed? What next? The UK Royal Colleges of Surgery: There are four Royal Colleges of Surgeons in the UK (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland). All four of these colleges are professional bodies responsible for the specialty of surgery throughout the UK. Amongst many other duties, it is their role to set and monitor the educational curriculum for those training to enter the profession. What is MRCS? The Intercollegiate Membership exam of the Royal College of Surgeons tests the knowledge, experience and clinical competence expected of a doctor at the end of their core surgical training (ST2 level) and can be taken through any of the Royal Colleges mentioned above. The MRCS examination syllabus and the format & content of this examination are common to all four colleges (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland). Candidates can enter any part of the examination through any college, but may enter with only one college at each sitting. Completion of MRCS will allow you to work in the UK from ST3 level upward (ST3+), with seniority beyond ST3 level dependent on experience. Upon successful completion of all parts of the examination, candidates will be elected as members of the college for which they have passed Part B of the exam.  MRCS is one of two routes an overseas doctor can take full GMC registration (postgraduate qualification or PLAB route).  For doctors who wish to take more senior roles reflective of their current practice, IMG Connect advise that MRCS would be the best route to take and full MRCS is a pre-requisite for anyone looking to go onto a specialist training post as a surgeon in the UK. What is the structure and content? The MRCS exam is split into two parts: MRCS Part A – written examination  MRCS Part B – Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Am I eligible?  Part A: To be eligible you must hold a Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ) that is recognised by the GMC for registration purposes. Part B OSCE: You must pass Part A before applying for Part B.  You can attempt Part A of the exam six times, and Part B four times.   MRCS Part A - Written Examination: The content is designed to test your knowledge of both applied basic science and the principles of surgery in general to a level of a UK trainee with two to three years of postgraduate experience. Part A of the Intercollegiate MRCS is a five-hour multiple choice question exam with two papers sat in one day.  The questions are in single best answer format. The morning paper is 3 hours long and the afternoon paper is 2 hours long. MRCS Part B – OSCE: The OSCE is set in a practical setting and tests your ability to integrate knowledge and experience in the following two areas: Knowledge - Your understanding of anatomy, surgical pathology, applied surgical science & critical care Skills – your application of clinical, procedural and communication skills in a practical setting. The OSCE consists of 18 examined stations, each 9 minutes in duration, broadly divided into the two components above – knowledge and skills.  Each station reflects elements of day-to-day clinical practice. The knowledge component makes up eight of the stations. The skills component makes up ten of the stations. Candidates must pass both the knowledge and skills components to pass Part B. How much will the exams cost me? Part A of the Intercollegiate MRCS is £539 in the UK Overseas centres will cost upwards of £539 and can include a local administration fee. Part B of the Intercollegiate MRCS is £977. Please note, fees can vary dependent on location.  As an overseas doctor, where can I take the exams? Part A & B of the exams can be taken in several countries across the world, with locations in the UK, Africa, Asia, Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.  Should you require a visa in order to sit your examinations, the College will provide support letters after the closing date and when an application has been checked and the candidate is eligible. Requests for a Visa support letter must be made in writing.   The full list of countries is below:  Exam UK Country – Asia Country – Middle East, Europe & Central Asia Africa MRCS Part 1 & 2 (OSCE) Belfast Bangladesh Philippines Afghanistan Kuwait Botswana Nigeria   Cardiff Burma Singapore Azerbaijan Lebanon Cameroon Senegal   Coventry Hong Kong South Korea Bahrain Oman Egypt Sierra Leone   Dublin India Sri Lanka Cyprus Palestine Ghana Sudan   Edinburgh Malaysia Thailand Iraq Qatar Kenya Tunisia   London Nepal Vietnam Jordan Saudi Arabia Morocco Zambia   Manchester Pakistan   Israel United Arab Emirates Namibia     Newcastle     Kazakhstan Uzbekistan       Nottingham               Stirling             How can I prepare and what resources are available?  With lots of resources available online, we have discussed with IMGs the best place to start looking for materials relating to the exams. Most IMGs recommended starting with the Royal College, who have created useful resources to help you to prepare for the exams. See below:  Syllabus: The complete MRCS syllabus is contained within the General Medical Council approved curriculum for the Early Years of Surgical Training in the United Kingdom. It reflects the Core Surgical Training Syllabus of the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme.  At IMG Connect we recommend getting to know the curriculum as early as possible and using it as a road map for your study plan.  Module Guidance: Parts A&B both examine 10 modules and the specification for each module is detailed in the Guide to the Intercollegiate MRCS examination - published by the Royal College of Surgeons. Royal College of England recommended courses: Royal College of Surgeons of England Part A guidance notes: Candidate guidance notes that cover all four colleges, including information on examination procedure, admittance. Content Guide: The Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (ICBSE) produced this guide to the Intercollegiate MRCS examination which contains: List of recommended textbooks and resources Topics and skills that may be examined Information and sample questions for both Part A & B Intercollegiate MRCS Regulations: Make sure to read through and familiarise yourself with the regulations for Membership Examinations. They are unilateral across all four colleges, you can find them here. RCS Library resources: The RCS Library contains excellent resources particularly useful for the MRCS examinations – they are available to affiliate members. Resources include Atlases, EBooks & Online Journals.  The Funky Professor: These anatomy video lectures are available from the RCS. Each video is accompanied with a detailed slideshow, plus a test on content.  As ever at IMG Connect, we stronlgy believe in the right preparation. In order to succeed in the clinical exam, IMGs have told us that it is vital that you practice your clinical examinations as frequently as possible, preferably under the supervision of a senior colleague. This will give you confidence in approaching and examining with examiners present. Passed? What next? Once you have passed both parts of your MRCS examinations you can apply for a full registration with a license to practice. Once the GMC have approved your application, you can work as a doctor in the UK.  IMG Jobs  Search and find live NHS surgery jobs in the UK IMG Resources Read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!   Get in Touch Don’t hesitate to get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss doctor job options in the NHS, including discussions regarding CESR, a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable NHS jobs & hospital locations for you.             

A fitness to practice is required for overseas doctors who want to register with the GMC. This blog will break down what the rules are, and what evidence you will need to prepare and provide by looking at the following: What is evidence of your fitness to practice? Declaration of your fitness to practice Supporting evidence Certificate of good standing How do I request a certificate of good standing? Remember, at IMG Connect we always advise IMGs to prepare all documents before starting applications, it will save you time, and stress!  What is evidence of your fitness to practice?  As part of your GMC application, the GMC require you to provide evidence of your fitness to practice. This is broken down into two areas from your online application:  A declaration of your fitness to practice Your supporting evidence Declaration of fitness to practice:  As part of your online GMC application to join the register you must complete a declaration of fitness to practice. This declaration is only valid for 3 months, so ensure you get the timing right with your application, otherwise the GMC will ask you to complete a new one.  When completing your application online, you will be asked 12 questions in the fitness to practice character declaration section. You should complete the declaration by choosing YES or NO for each question.  These cover a range of fitness to practice topics, including previous convictions, disciplinary actions, conduct and so on.  It is important to say that you should always be honest in your answers.   Supporting evidence:  The GMC will ask you to provide supporting evidence of your fitness to practice, these are broken down into the following:  details of all postgraduate medical experience for the last five years or since you graduated details of all postgraduate non-medical experience for the last five years or since you graduated* details of all certain other activities for the last five years or since you graduated  a certificate of good standing from each medical regulatory authority you've been registered or licensed with *If you have worked in a non-medical capacity it is also likely that you will be asked for employer references to cover this non-medical work. Certificate of good standing  As above, you will require a certificate from your regulatory body to be sent to the GMC to confirm your good standing with them. The GMC will need a certificate of good standing from all of the countries you've been registered with in that time, even if you haven't been practising there.  You can register for a certificate of good standing from your regulatory body in your home country, which they will send directly to the GMC.  Certificates of good standing and employer references are only valid for three months from the date that they are issued and must be valid on the date your application to the GMC is approved. What is a certificate of good standing?  A certificate of good standing will show any restrictions on your practice, your registration history, including current license status, identity information and any current proceedings. It should be issued in English. In the European Union these documents are known as certificates of current professional status. How do I request a certificate?  You will need to contact your regulatory body and request this from them directly. You can find out which medical regulatory authority to contact using the Certificate of good standing database. References: When writing this article we have taken our information from the following sources: https://www.gmc-uk.org IMG Jobs  Search and find live NHS doctor jobs in the UK IMG Resources In our IMG Resources library you can read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!   Get in Touch Get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss doctor job opportunities in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.         

English Language Tests are hard, it is common for overseas doctors to fail on the first or second attempt. You have just got the results and sadly, you didn’t get the target score of 7.5 average for IELTS or four B’s for OET. What do you do? First things first, we would recommend a short outburst, a quintessentially polite British rant about how things are not fair, and then pick yourself up, and plan! Unlike other tests in education where you only get one chance to pass, the same is not true for English Language Tests like IELTS and OET. That said, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have to worry about preparing, this could waste your time, and more importantly, your money! Another re-sit will cost you. Don’t forget, learning a new language is challenging, complex and takes time. Just because you didn’t get the results the first time, if you are organised, patient and increase your practical work you will get there!  Learn from your mistakes Initially, it is only natural to be disappointed because you didn’t pass. This is normal, so take your time to process the results and give yourself an opportunity to clear your head ready to determine what went wrong, and do something about it.  A lot of IMGs don’t get the required marks on the first go, some take a long time to get there, so don’t worry, you are not alone. The main thing to remember, is that it is very important to know where you went wrong, and how to improve.  Here are a few steps to help you if you don’t get the results you wanted:  1. Review your score in each area.  Identify the area where you struggled the most. Did you pass all areas except one? Or did you get the desired results in two areas, and fail the others? This tells you which area to focus on, where you may need further training or practice.  2. Count the marks How far off was your score from passing? This is vital for you to establish which parts of the test to focus on so you can gain points in these areas for your resit. Think about the areas you struggled in, or left blank. Take your time to review and then practice these areas of the test and watch your score go up!  3. Expand your horizons Using each English language skill in practice is essential to helping you get the desired outcome in each test. If you failed in one or two areas, then turn your focus on these and get practical!  Simply put, speak, listen, read & write more! Don’t forget to keep it interesting. See our top tips for learning at home to help you be more engaged in applying your learning on a daily basis.  4. Consider working with an accredited tutor As an International Brand dedicated to helping international doctors to register with the GMC and find work in the NHS - we have lots of partnerships in place with trusted companies in many areas. One of these key areas is English Language Testing and IMG Connect works closely with a company called Specialist Language Courses. You can take a look at their website here. Specialist Language courses work very professionally and are the UK's leading provider of online courses and tutoring. They are also one of the few accredited providers of OET and have provided consultation and guidance to the GMC on English language testing.  Success rates are 70% + for those who sign for their tutoring and you can receive a discount if introduced by IMG Connect. Register with IMG Connect to request your discount on English Language Courses or get in touch with one of our IMG Consultants to discuss. 4. Get rid of the nerves Most international doctors will have found speaking with the examiner daunting and nerve wracking. This is natural, called test anxiety. Which probably means that you will not have spoken as fluently as you could. What can you do? Try speaking English with someone you don’t usually speak with, or even better somebody you don’t know, in a situation you don’t usually find yourself. Being able to speak fluently, under pressure, whilst sounding natural, is one of the most important criteria of the test. This will ease your anxiety.  5. Plan for the next test Some IMGs might wonder why they should make a plan, it takes time and some think that it might not be necessary. In fact, a good study plan will save you time, help you pace out your learning, cover more topics and keep you organised. As you will know what areas you need to focus on, it will help you to check you are covering all the areas of weakness, and keep track of improvements. Try to include daily and weekly targets.  IMG Jobs  Search and find live NHS doctor jobs in the UK IMG Resources In our IMG Resources library you can read more useful articles on finding an NHS trust doctor job, pay scales & doctor’s salary in the UK, relocation and much more!   Get in Touch Get in touch using the buttons above (and below) to discuss doctor job opportunities in the NHS, including discussions regarding a typical doctor salary in the UK and the most suitable hospital locations for you.